Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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115. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will examine providing special allowances to public sector workers that take account of increased housing and other costs in many areas in the state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27864/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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134. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will examine pay and other incentives to encourage people to undertake training in areas of staff shortage in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27865/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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142. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will examine the need for a pay rise in the public sector to take account of the increased cost of living in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27866/25]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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150. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the budgetary measures he is planning to address staffing shortages across key areas of the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28131/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 134, 142 and 150 together.

As the Deputy is aware, a broad range of factors, of which accommodation costs is only one, influences staff recruitment and retention. As a result of Ireland's robust economic growth, unemployment is low and labour market conditions remain tight. Labour and skills shortages are presenting recruitment and retention challenges for employers across the labour market, including the civil and public service.

Despite this, staff numbers in the public sector have continued to grow consistently. Between 2015 and Quarter 1 of 2025, the most recent data available to my Department, overall estimated public service numbers in full-time equivalent terms increased by over 36% from 302,000 to 411,323.

The public service is a good employer and continues to offer competitive pay and other terms and conditions to attract and retain staff, including flexible working arrangements, opportunities for continuous professional development, pension provision and secure employment.

In the case of recruitment policy in the civil service, for which I have policy responsibility, my Department works closely with the Public Appointments Service and other Government Departments to achieve the objectives set out by the Civil Service Renewal 2024 Action Plan to ensure that the State remains an employer of choice.

In relation to remuneration, pay in the public service has been governed by a system of collective agreements since the negotiation of the Croke Park Agreement in 2010.

The current public service pay agreement – Public Service Agreement 2024 to 2026 was agreed at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on 26 January 2024 and ratified in March 2024.

The Agreement runs for two and a half years and the total cost amounts to approximately €3.6 billion.

In total, the Agreement provides for increases of 10.25% over a two-and-a-half-year period. This is made up of general round increases totalling 9.25%, as well as a provision for a Local Bargaining mechanism equivalent to 1% of the basic pay cost.

To date, public servants have benefited from general round increases totalling 6.25% under the PSA 2024 - 2026. There is one further general round of 1% for all public servants due this year on 1 August, as well as the Local Bargaining provision which is due to be implemented from 1 September 2025. This will be followed by two further general round increases in 2026, with an increase of 1% or €500 on 1 February 2026 and an increase of 1% on 1 June 2026. The Agreement expires at end-June 2026.

Separately, the Agreement contains a Local Bargaining provision which allows management and unions to negotiate changes to pay and terms and conditions up to a maximum of 3% of pay costs for the relevant grade. The first instalment under this provision, equivalent to 1% of pay costs, is due to be implemented from 1 September 2025 and negotiations are commencing at local level across the public service.

I would further add that this Agreement, like its predecessor, is weighted towards lower paid public servants. Over the lifetime of the agreement, the lowest paid public servants will see cumulative benefits of up to 17.3%, inclusive of the local bargaining provision, compared to the standard benefits of 10.25%. Together with the Local Bargaining mechanism, this progressive approach, which has been a feature of the last number of agreements, assists with responding to the challenges the deputy refers to.