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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1991

Vol. 412 No. 5

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Service Pay Negotiations.

Toddy O'Sullivan

Ceist:

12 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will give an assurance that, in the context of negotiations with the ICTU on public service pay, section 1 (b) of Appendix B (Staff Surplus to Operational Requirements) will not be activated in so far as unemployment is forecasted to rise substantially in 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Appendix B of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress sets out measures agreed between public service employers and the ICTU which were designed to avoid compulsory redundancy where staff surpluses arise in any particular area of the public service. Those measures include redeployment, early retirement/severance or other agreed measures including career breaks or unpaid leave.

Those arrangements come into play only where changes give rise to staff surpluses and the decision on the specific measures or mix of measures to be adopted in any such instance will have to be determined by local management in consultation with its workforce and their union representatives having regard to the particular circumstances of their organisation.

Since these measures have been, in the words of the agreement, "designed to avoid compulsory redundancy", it would be unfair to the staff concerned and to the taxpayer if I were to rule out in advance any one of the alternative solutions which have been identified.

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