Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
1054. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons working in her Department on a wage of less than €12.30 per hour; the number disaggregated by professional role; and the estimated cost of increasing salaries of those on a wage of less than €12.30 per hour to a wage of €12.30 per hour. [34675/19]
View answerRemuneration for staff within my Department is governed by instructions from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in line with Government policy.
Based on the Civil Service 37-hour standard net working week, the suggested €12.30 per hour equates to an annual salary of €23,747.
Based on the payroll as of July 2019 there are 42 permanent staff of the Department and its offices on a wage of less than €12.30 per hour. This is made up of 34 Clerical Officers on the first point of the Clerical Officer salary scale. Five Services Officers on the first or second point of the Services Officer salary scale and 3 Services Attendants on the first or second point of the Services Attendant salary scale.
The additional salary cost to the Department of increasing theses salaries to an hourly rate of €12.30 per hour is estimated to be €14,684 per annum. This figure, inclusive of employers PRSI would be approximately €16,152. The Offices of the Department include the Companies Registration Office, Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, Patents Office, Registry of Friendly Societies, Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission.
It should be noted that the maximum point on the incremental scales for these staff is above the hourly suggested rate of €12.30, over time and based on satisfactory performance, each staff member in these grades would proceed to earn more than the living wage through incremental progression.
Additionally, those currently identified on basic annual salary of less than €23,747 could be receiving remuneration in excess of the suggested living wage through additional payments in respect of specific allowances particular to the grade or atypical working hours.
