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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 3

Written Answers. - Public Service Benchmarking.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

37 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Defence his views on the submission made to the benchmarking body by RACO, which urged that pay for middle-ranking officers should be increased by 45%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4671/02]

The public service benchmarking body established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness is currently in the middle of its deliberations and is due to produce its recommendations by 30 June 2002. I believe, in these circumstances, that it would be entirely inappropriate for me to make any comment whatsoever on this matter, lest my comments be perceived as an attempt to influence the deliberations of the Honourable Mr. Justice Quirke and his colleagues.

What I can say is that every public service trade union and representative association was afforded the opportunity to make written and oral submissions to the benchmarking body and, to the best of my knowledge, all did. However, the pay increases, if any, to be awarded on foot of these submissions, are matters for the benchmarking body alone to consider.

The benchmarking process is a genuine attempt to set pay levels for the Irish public service in the context of the Irish economy. Benchmarking represents an open, independent, innovative and progressive way of tackling the issue of setting appropriate pay levels. The process has provided the Defence Forces representative associations with an opportunity to present their case in relation to their members' pay levels.

It is my conviction that by operating within the framework of national programmes like the PPF and using the benchmarking process, we will continue to make economic and social progress in the future.
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