Local Authority Staff

Wednesday, 4 July 2012

Questions (187)

Billy Timmins

Question:

190 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown by grade of the annual leave entitlement for members of local authorities under the Croke Park agreement; what said entitlements were previous to the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32766/12]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan)

Agreement was reached between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in November 2011 on the standardisation of public service annual and related leave allowances. The agreement provided that the number of days annual leave to apply, in respect of serving personnel and all sectors of the public service, would range from a minimum of twenty-two to a maximum of thirty-two days.

Under the agreement serving staff, while they remain in their existing grades, retain the annual leave allowance appropriate to their grade subject to not exceeding the overall ceiling of thirty-two days. Given that the level of annual leave across local authorities varied before the agreement the following range of annual leave entitlements now applies.

Grade	Annual Leave Days Range
County Manager	32
Director of Service	32
Senior Executive Officer / Senior Engineer and analogous grades	32
Senior Executive Engineer/Administrative Officer and analogous grades	31 — 32
Senior Staff Officer/Executive Engineer and analogous grades	30 — 32
Staff Officer/Graduate Engineer and analogous grades	27 — 32
Assistant Staff Officer and analogous grades	26 — 32
Clerical Officer and analogous grades	23 — 31
Craft Workers, General Operatives and Related Grades	23 — 32

Prior to the November 2011 Agreement the annual leave entitlements for local authority staff were as follows:

Grade	Annual and Privilege Days Range
County Manager	33-44
Director of Service	33-44
Senior Executive Officer / Senior Engineer and analogous grades	33-44
Administrative Officer / Senior Executive Engineer and analogous grades	31-36
Senior Staff Officer / Executive Engineer and analogous grades	30-36
Staff Officer / Graduate Engineer and analogous grades	27-34
Assistant Staff Officer and analogous grades	26-33
Clerical Officer and analogous grades	23-31
Craft Workers, General Operatives and related grades	23-32

All County and City Managers implemented a maximum of thirty-two days annual leave with effect from April, 2011. The revised arrangements were implemented in the local authority sector as provided for in the agreement and have come into place with effect from the leave year commencing January, 2012. The agreement also provides for the introduction of standardised leave bands for new entrants and promotees which will range from a minimum of twenty-two days to a maximum of thirty days.