Written answers

Wednesday, 7 February 2024

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

School Staff

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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133. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to examine why FEMPI measures are not unwound for an individual (details supplied). [5649/24]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not hold data in relation to individual public servants. Enquiries in relation to individual remuneration, as apply to this case, should be directed to the Department of Education. However, in relation to the unwinding of FEMPI the following information is relevant.

The process of unwinding the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation commenced under the Lansdowne Road Agreement 2016-2018. This was underpinned by the FEMPI 2015 Act. The provisions of the 2015 Act also allowed for the amelioration of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR). The remainder of the process continued under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA) and Building Momentum, which was in place from 2020-2023. This was underpinned by the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, implementation of which would complete the unwinding of the FEMPI legislation in relation to reductions in remuneration.

Each year, under the terms of the FEMPI Act 2013, the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is obliged to carry out an annual review of the operation, effectiveness and impact of the FEMPI Acts, having regard to the overall economic conditions in the State and national competitiveness. In this annual review, the Minister is also to consider whether or not any of the provision of the relevant Acts continue to be necessary having regard to the purposes of those Acts, the revenues of the State and State commitments in respect of public service pay and pensions. The 2023 annual report was published in June 2023 and can be found on the DPENDPR website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/68e504-annual-reviews-of-the-fempi-act-2013/.

The Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) was agreed by Government and trade unions and associations representing public servants in May 2013 in the context of a requirement to reduce the public service pay and pensions bill by €1 billion.

The Agreement introduced a number measures including deferral of incremental progression across the public service. Circular 20 / 2015 set out the how the increment measures would expire under the Haddington Road Agreement. This is below for ease of reference.

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