Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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530. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will address the pay disparity affecting regional administrators in the Citizens Information Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35711/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, that has an independent mandate to provide information, advice and advocacy on a wide range of public services. CIB itself is governed by an independent Board of Directors.

The Citizens Information Service (CIS), in turn, comprises of eight regional companies that are funded by CIB to deliver services, including the national network of Citizens Information Centres. I deeply value the work of the CIS in providing these important services across Ireland.

In October 2024, following engagement with CIB, the union and my Department on foot of a Labour Court recommendation, an 8% pay increase was awarded to all CIS employees, including the eight Regional Administrator roles. This increase was in line with the 2023 pay agreement awarded to the Community and Voluntary sector/Section 39 employees.

I am pleased to advise that engagement is due to re-commence in relation to awarding CIS employees, and all other employees of the companies funded by CIB, a second pay increase, again in line with the most recent pay increases agreed for the Community and Voluntary sector in 2025.

Following awarding of the 8% pay increase in 2024, there was further engagement regarding parity between the salary scales of Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) Administrators and CIS Administrators, which also formed part of the Labour Court recommendation. This was resolved in March 2025, and these salary scales are now equivalent.

As part of this engagement, a referral was made by the union, SIPTU, to the Workplace Commission in relation to CIS Regional Administrators. My Department understands that this matter did not form part of the Labour Court's final recommendation.

My Department further understands from CIB that following a conciliation conference with the WRC on 9th June 2025 with CIB, the CIS Employers Group and SIPTU in relation to this matter, during which no agreement was reached at this point.

I trust this clarifies your query.