Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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265. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, cuts to include the Defence Forces that have been reversed by category of worker to date. [44662/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The process of unwinding the Financial Emergency (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016 – 2018 and has largely been completed under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 – 2020 (PSSA).

The PSSA, which was negotiated in 2017, and the provisions of which were statutorily provided for under the terms of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, allowed for a continued, controlled unwinding of the FEMPI legislation. The unwinding process was progressively weighted towards those at the lower levels of pay (who have seen their salaries increase relative to 2008), and is implemented on a phased basis.

To date, salary rates up to €70,000, which accounts for over 90% of the public service, have been fully restored for all categories of public sector workers.

In addition, a Ministerial Order is required to complete FEMPI pay restoration for those public servants whose salary will not be fully restored (those on annualised remuneration greater than €70,000) through the PSSA increases. Under section 19 and section 20 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act, for those covered by the Agreement, the legislation provides for these remaining amounts to be paid no later than July 2022.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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266. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, cuts to allowances to include the Defence Forces that have been reversed by category of worker to date. [44663/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under Section 2(3) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Number 2 of 2009, fixed periodic allowances in the public service were reduced by either 5% or 8% depending on the level of annualised basic salary.

This section was repealed on the 1st of October 2020 under Section 24(1) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017.  These allowances have now returned to pre-FEMPI levels.

Further details on specific allowances paid to individual public servants and/or particular grades of public servants can be sought from the relevant Department.