asked the Minister for the Public Service why he has downgraded the Office of Parliamentary Secretary in his proposals to implement the recent national wage agreement in respect of persons in the public sector.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Wage Agreement.
37.
The draft order entitled "Members of the Oireachtas and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Allowances and Salaries) Order 1974" merely provides for the implementation of the rates of remuneration recommended by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector as up-dated by the appropriate national agreement increases. The order does not downgrade or upgrade any particular group of office holders.
Can the Minister reconcile that statement with the fact that the Tánaiste got an increase of £2,000 while his Parliamentary Secretary got only £80, although he effectively runs a Department?
It is because of the application of the rates recommended by Devlin. The position was that last year the increases consisted of the pre-1973 Act rate increased by the 12th and 13th rounds, with the Devlin proposals as a ceiling, plus the first phase of the 14th round on top of the pre-1973 Act rate. The latest increases consist of the rates recommended by Devlin increased by the first phase of the 14th round and the first phase of the 15th round.
Does the Minister not consider that an anomalous situation seems to have arisen here where there is such a great discrepancy in the amounts appertaining to the payment to a Minister and the amount payable to a Parliamentary Secretary on these increases?
The discrepancies were as great on the last occasion where the Parliamentary Secretary's rate went, in relative terms, ahead of the rates paid to any other office holders. The application of these formulae, for which we have no responsibility, as we inherited them from our predecessors, produces this situation, which overall does not produce any change from the Devlin rates as upgraded by the rounds increases.
Could I ask the Minister whether he considers that the discrepancies which have now come to light are unreasonable and whether he should do anything about them?
These have not come to light. If anybody read or understood the Devlin recommendations years ago he would have found the precise developments arose out of the Devlin findings. They arise out of Devlin and for no other reason.
Is the Minister satisfied with the position as it obtains? After all, he, and not Devlin, is the Minister.
The question of personal satisfaction does not arise. What has happened is that the rates as recommended by Devlin have been applied, the Devlin Review Body having been established by our predecessors for the purpose of asking an independent body to ascertain what should be the appropriate rates of remuneration for various office holders. To depart from that in respect of any particular office holder, be that person a parliamentary office holder or an office holder in the public service, would be a breach of the disciplines which it was considered appropriate to develop, and that was simply to have the rates fixed by an independent arbitrator. Wherever difficulties arise it is open to have these reconsidered from time to time. It will be recalled that one of the recommendations in the review body's report was that these matters should be referred to them from time to time for reassessment, and no doubt this and other problems will be referred to them in due course.
For the record, may I ask the Minister whether in respect of the increase granted to the Attorney General he departed from Devlin?
No, there is no basic departure. I must say if an anomaly arises it arises by reason of the reference by the previous Administration of the Devlin findings to the Employer-Labour Conference which produced a different set of results which were applied last year, and now in accordance with the recommendations of that body, the Devlin figures are being applied this year.
38.
asked the Minister for the Public Service if persons who retired on pension from the public sector will benefit from the recent national wage agreement.
In accordance with the general arrangements for the revision of public service pensions for which I am responsible, these pensions will benefit from the recent national wage agreement.