Vol. 558 No. 4
193 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the offer which his Department has made to workers who resigned from the public service on marriage in respect of their demand for full incremental credit for their years of service, which is a provision that applies in the health and local authority sector; and if his Department is willing to make a renewed offer in order to restore equity of treatment to all public servants. [24259/02]
A claim for incremental credit for previous service in the public service was lodged by the Civil and Public Service Union, CPSU, in 2000 and discussions with the union commenced shortly after. My Department agreed in principle to the claim in June 2001.
An offer was made by my Department which involved granting incremental credit up to a maximum of the 5th point of the existing scale. This was rejected by the CPSU.
The Public Service Executive Union, PSEU, has also submitted a claim for incremental credit for previous service and the same offer was put to it.
Negotiations are still ongoing between my Department and the unions on exactly how incremental credit will be awarded. It is hoped that the main issues affecting details of the agreement will be resolved in the near future and it can be introduced thereafter.
