Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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507.To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost of a 1% increase in public sector pay for all those earning less than €100,000. [33264/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The total public service pay bill figure (inclusive of Local Authorities) for 2024 is estimated to be €27.5 billion. This includes all elements of pay, including basic pay, allowances, overtime, premiums, and employer PRSI. The estimated cost of a 1% pay increase for public service workers earning less than €100,000 would be approx. €0.26 billion.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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508.To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost of abolishing sub-minimum pay rates in the public sector. [33266/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The current pay rates for the civil service are available here: www.gov.ie/en/circular/4a886-circular-082024-application-of-1-june-2024-pay-adjustments/

The public service information sought in this request would require detailed data on the position of staff on each salary scale across the public service and details of the standard working hours per week for each individual grade. This data is not held in my Department.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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509.To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost of paying apprentices in the public sector the minimum wage from year one of their apprenticeship. [33267/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 2025 seeks to deliver annual registrations of 10,000 apprentices by 2025 through an apprenticeship system that is flexible and responsive, providing a strong value proposition and delivering high standards and sought after qualifications. Under this plan, the public sector (excluding commercial semi-state organisations) will deliver an increased level of high quality apprenticeship opportunities for those seeking to join and build careers in the public service. The Public Service Apprenticeship Plan, which launched in August 2023, sets out an ambition for the civil and public service to reach 750 apprentice registrations per year by 2025. Apprenticeship provides an opportunity for public service employers to widen the recruitment pool and attract diverse talent in line with commitments under the Better Public Services Transformation Strategy 2030, to upskill and reskill for the future and establish the public service as an employer of choice.

A subcommittee of the Public Service Leadership Board (PSLB) has recently been established to progress the actions in the Plan. The Public Service Apprenticeship Leadership Group (PSALG), which is jointly chaired by DPENDR and DFHERIS, will monitor and report on progress in advancing the plan at individual organisational level in line with agreed sectoral targets. In addition, a working group is focussing on building supports for public sector employers and providing guidance that will assist with meeting these targets underpinned by shared principles relating to pay and terms and conditions of employment, and subject to the relevant legal framework for responsibility in this area. The Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is responsible for setting the pay and terms and conditions of employment for civil servants and the current pay rates for civil servants are set out in Circular 8/2024 (www.gov.ie/en/circular/4a886-circular-082024-application-of-1-june-2024-pay-adjustments/ ).

With regard to the cost of paying apprentices and by way of example, the Civil Service ICT apprenticeship has recruited approximately 160 ICT apprentices to date, providing an invaluable talent pipeline for public service organisations seeking to fill ICT posts and develop ICT skills. In the case of ICT apprentices in the Civil Service, remuneration is in line with the Executive Officer pay scale and ICT apprentices are paid at 75 % of this pay scale, which is above the minimum wage.