Pat Rabbitte
Question:72 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance the progress made by the Public Service Benchmarking Body; when he expects it will begin to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5567/02]
Written Answers. - Public Service Benchmarking.
I refer the Deputy to my reply of 24 October 2001 to Deputy Quinn on this matter.
The Public Service Benchmarking Body was established in July 2000 and was asked to report by 30 June 2002. It was agreed by the parties that there would be four phases: phase 1 – written submission by the parties; phase 2 – research by the body itself; phase 3 – oral hearings and any further written submissions based on the research; and phase 4 – finalisation of the report by the body. Written submissions were made by the parties to the body. It has carried out its research of the public service grades being examined and in the private sector. Oral hearings for each group, where both sides had the opportunity to put arguments in support of their case, were completed in December 2001.
The body is now in the final stage. It is deliberating on the issues and drafting its report with a view to finalising it by the end of June 2002. There will be one report at the end of the process. This was agreed by both the unions and the employers and is contained in the body's terms of reference.