asked the Minister for Finance whether since the publication of the Estimates for Public Services for the year ending 31st March, 1966 the respective salaries, wages and allowances of departmental secretaries, assistant secretaries and principal officers have been increased; and, if so, if he will state in respect of each Department the revised amount of the present annual salary of each such secretary, assistant secretary and principal officer and particulars of the method by which the amount of each such revised salary, wage or allowance was arrived at.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Salary Increases.
The particulars requested by the Deputy are contained in a tabular statement which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Salaries have been increased to the following rates:—
Grade |
Department |
Revised Annual Rate |
Secretary |
Finance |
B. £5,200 |
Agriculture |
A. £4,750 |
|
Industry and Commerce |
B. £5,025 |
|
Health (a) |
||
Lands (b) |
||
Local Government (a) |
B. £4,950 |
|
Taoiseach (c) |
||
Other Departments |
A. £4,350 |
|
B. £4,750 |
||
Assistant Secretary |
Finance (c) |
1 on B. £4,950 |
3 on A. £4,350 |
||
B. £4,750 |
||
Other Departments |
A. £2,895 X 155—3,500. |
|
B. £3,230 X 155—3,850 |
||
Principal |
Finance |
A. £2,400 X 85—3,040 |
B. £2,720×95—3,350 |
||
Other Departments |
A. £2,240×77—2,715 |
|
B. £2,575×85—3,045 |
(a)A former allowance of £230 a year as Local Appointments Commissioner ceased.
(b),, ,, ,, £200 a year as Land Commissioner ceased.
(c),, ,, ,, £230 a year as Civil Service Commissioner ceased.
Allowances have been increased as follows:—
Department |
Grade |
Nature of Allowance |
Revised Rate |
Agriculture (Fisheries) |
Principal |
For acting as a member of the Foyle Fisheries Commission. |
£250 |
Industry and Commerce |
Assistant Secretary |
Chairman, Labour Court |
£500 |
do. |
Chairman, Fair Trade Commission. |
£500 |
|
do. |
Part-time member of Industrial Development Authority |
£500 |
|
Principal |
Chairman of An Cheard Chomhairle. |
£250 |
|
Social Welfare |
Principal |
Chief Appeals Officer |
£131 |
The salaries were revised in the light of the finding of the Civil Service Arbitration Board (Report No. 120) on a claim on behalf of higher executive officers. As regards secretaries and assistant secretaries, it was found necessary to make a special adjustment in their remuneration by reference to that of their equivalents in outside employment and, in particular, in State-sponsored bodies. The circumstance that in these bodies the levels of remuneration were substantially higher than those paid to top-ranking civil servants, despite the heavy responsibilities of these officers, had resulted in a marked and undesirable deterioration in their relative positions. The adjustment approved was intended to go some distance to correct this distortion.
The revision of allowances had regard to the finding of the Civil Service Arbitration Board (Report No. 96) on a claim for an increase in certain allowances in the nature of pay on behalf of officers comprehended by the scheme of conciliation and arbitration for the Civil Service.