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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Mar 2001

Vol. 532 No. 2

Written Answers. - Teachers' Pay.

Paul Bradford

Question:

28 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which he believes the concept of benchmarking will operate in the context of a further review of teachers' pay. [6886/01]

The establishment of the public service benchmarking body was agreed as an integral part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness arrangements on public service pay. It has been agreed between the Public Services Committee of ICTU and the Government employers that certain selected grades only shall be subject to detailed examination by the benchmarking body. The teaching grades to be examined include principal, deputy principal, assistant principal, special duties teacher and teacher in the primary and post-primary sectors. The public service benchmarking body has been asked to produce its report and recommendations by 30 June 2002. A single report is to be produced covering all grades, groups and categories within the benchmarking body's terms of reference.

Benchmarking is basically about comparing public service pay and jobs with pay and jobs across the economy with a view to ensuring that public service pay rates compare favourably with comparable employment in the private sector. This was the objective of the Government and the public service unions in framing the benchmarking process and establishing the public service benchmarking body.

Benchmarking is not about performance related pay. The benchmarking exercise involves much more than a pay review in the traditional sense. As well as examining pay rates, the benchmarking body will examine and compare existing roles, duties and responsibilities in the public service and across the economy. This is designed to ensure that it does not look simply at the pay rates applicable to jobs with similar titles but also looks at the jobs themselves to establish how comparable they are. In undertaking its research it also has to have regard to differences between the public service and the private sector, and between different groups in the public service, in working conditions, the way the work is organised, conditions of employment and other benefits.

The benchmarking body will examine the jobs as they exist and operate in practice. It will seek to compare them to similar jobs in the private sector and also compare the reward packages, pay and non-pay, applying to both. Benchmarking is about ensuring that the public service can compete fairly to recruit, retain and motivate its staff. The process should be seen not as setting the norm in the wider economy but rather ensuring that the pay rates in the public service are in line with those across the economy. The benchmarking body will be able to evaluate each case on its merits and on the basis of its research findings. In this way the work of the benchmarking body is similar to the exercise that has been carried out for many years by the review body on higher remuneration in the public service where, for example, the pay of members of the Oireachtas and senior public servants has been compared to pay rates applying to similar jobs in the private sector.
Arising from discussions with the benchmarking body, it has been agreed that the process will include written submissions by unions and employers, with both sides exchanging their submissions thereby giving an opportunity for comment by both sides on the position of the other. The body will arrange its own research programme and it is envisaged that there will be feedback from this to the parties. There will then be oral hearings attended by both sides. The submissions, research and the oral hearings will inform the benchmarking body's deliberations and they will recommend rates of pay for all of the groups. The public service benchmarking body has sought written submissions from management and trade unions by 20 March 2001 and is already in the process of arranging the appropriate research. It intends to hold oral hearings in the autumn.
Although employers and unions will have to negotiate the how and when of implementation, they will not be renegotiating the recommendations themselves. However, an agreement reached between the Government and the trade unions in December 2000 provides for payment of 25% of any increase with effect from 1 December 2001. One of the essential features of this benchmarking process is that it will look at all of the key public service groups as part of one exercise and that there will be one comprehensive report. Previous history has shown the difficulty that arises from one group alone being singled out or when special claims are processed at different times in varying social and economic climates.
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