Public Sector Pay

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2012

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Ceisteanna (245, 246, 247)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

266 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of employees in the public sector currently on salaries in excess of €200,000; and the names of the employees in each case and the position they hold. [3912/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

The Government adopted my proposal in June 2011 for the introduction of:—

a general pay ceiling of €200,000 for future appointments to higher positions across the public service; and

a general pay ceiling of €250,000 for future appointments to CEO posts within Commercial State Companies.

Following the outcome to the referendum on remuneration for the Judiciary the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Act, 2011 was enacted. This Act provided for the application of the pay reduction and the pension levy to serving members of the judiciary and provided for reduced remuneration rates for newly appointed members of the judiciary with effect from 1 January 2012. The Act also made provision to bring certain Office holders (Comptroller and Auditor General and Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála) within the public service pay ceiling and for the reduction of remuneration for future appointees as President and the Office of Ombudsman. This legislation also formally provides for the reduction in the salary rates for members of the Government. Ongoing arrangements are being made on an administrative basis to implement the pay ceiling for future appointments where that is appropriate, for example within the Civil Service and the Heads of four Universities.

Based on the information available within my Department, there are 24 post holders in the public service on approved salary levels in excess of €200,000 and 11 CEOs of Commercial State Companies. I do not propose to name any individual concerned but details of the posts are listed in the following table:

Post Holders with approved salary above €200,000 ceiling for Public Service

Sector	Organisation/Function	Numbers
Oireachtas	President	1
Judiciary	Chief Justice	2
Health Services Executive	Chief Executive Officer	1
Civil Service	Secretary General Level I	1
	Secretary General Level II	8
Statutory Office Holders	Ombudsman	1
Non Commercial State Sponsored Agencies	Chief Executive Officer — National Roads Authority	1
Education	University Heads — Level I Universities	4
	University Framework Positions	5*

*The remuneration of appointments made under Section 25 (5) of the Universities Act 1997 are not subject to Ministerial sanction.

CEO's of Commercial State Companies with salary above €200,000

Name of Organisation

An Post

Dublin Airport Authority

ESB

Coillte Teoranta

Bord Gáis Éireann

Iarnród Éireann

Irish Aviation Authority

RTE

Bord na Mona

EirGrid

VHI

The posts listed are not reflective of any voluntary arrangement that the individuals concerned may have entered into, following the Government decision in June 2011 to seek voluntary waivers of salary of 15%, or by a lesser amount if the application of the full 15% reduction would bring the salary levels of such individuals to below the pay ceiling of €200,000 p.a. across the public service and of €250,000 within Commercial State Companies. For example all Secretaries General with approved salary levels above the ceiling have voluntarily waived the additional pay.

There are also some 150 academic medical consultants, some of whom would attract salaries in excess of €200,000. My colleague the Minister for Health proposes to address this issue in the context of his discussions with the representative associations for those public service grades on matters related to the current consultant contract.

Finally, my colleague the Minister for Finance has outlined the remuneration rates in respect of the Central Bank and the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA)in his replies to Question Nos. 17682/11, 17686/11, 17690/11 and 17691/11, and to Nos. 1768/11, 17685/11, 1788/11 and 17692/11 on 29 June last. I am currently in correspondence with the Minister for Finance, concerning the pay arrangements in those bodies, including in relation to greater transparency with regard to remuneration.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

267 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a list of the public sector grades that will receive increments this year and also a list of the Departments and accompanying numbers who will receive increments this year from each Department. [4005/12]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 274, 288 and 289 of 11 January 2012.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Ceist:

268 Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the salary brackets of those workers in the public service in receipt of increments this year; the total cost of these increments by sector to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4014/12]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 274, 288 and 289 of 11 January 2012.