Vol. 428 No. 1
141 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if, in respect of the different technical, professional and administrative grades in the public service, he will give the positions in the private sector with which comparisons are made when assessing comparability claims for special increases in public pay, designed to keep pace with the rates of pay of persons with similar skills and responsibility in the private sector.
The Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector makes recommendations on the appropriate levels of remuneration for higher management grades in the public service. As part of its examination the review body carries out a survey of remuneration levels in the private sector on a confidential basis. The particular employments involved are not disclosed. Apart from its survey, the review body also has regard to published information on executive salaries in the private sector, data in relation to movements in the CPI and average industrial earnings. The review body has stated that full salary parity between top public and private sector executives is neither justifiable nor practical and that account has to be taken of differences in relation to factors such as job security, decision-making responsibility, accountability and general exposure to risk.
Comparison with rates of pay for positions in the private sector by reference to information mostly provided on a confidential basis has also formed part of the examination by arbitration boards of special pay claims by various public service grades. Other factors such as the pension arrangements and job security applicable to public service employment and the state of the public finances and the economy have also been taken into account. However, there are no agreed lists of comparators in the private sector for such cases and the comparators used may vary from time to time. In general the Official Side and the Staff Side have furnished separate lists to support the case they are making.
