Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
54 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Finance his estimate of the total value of benchmarking awards made from 1 January 2004; and the total value of such awards which have been withheld under the performance conditions. [8694/04]
View answer159 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the number and value of awards withheld under benchmarking; and the recommendations of the performance verification group in each case. [8459/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 159 together.
The estimated cost of the 1 January 2004 increases is as follows: Sustaining Progress — €538 million; benchmarking — €310 million. As regards the awards withheld under benchmarking, my reply will deal only in respect of the Civil Service sector which is my area of responsibility in this matter. The position in other sectors of the public service is a matter for the Ministers responsible for those sectors.
In the Civil Service, save the one exception, no increases were withheld. In the Civil Service a separate performance verification group was set up for the justice and equality sector. Those prison officer grades which are represented by the Prison Officers Association are the only Civil Service grades for which the increases recommended by the public service benchmarking body and the general round increases under Sustaining Progress have not been approved.
The Deputy will be aware that there are industrial relations difficulties in the Prison Service arising from the proposals to introduce an annualised hours system and to eliminate overtime working. The justice and equality performance verification group has deferred making a decision on the prison officer grades pending ongoing developments in this area.
