Vol. 571 No. 1
286 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Defence when his Department expects to sanction the benchmarking awards and national pay agreement awards to retired army personnel; the reasons for the delay in doing so to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20215/03]
The details of the benchmarking awards are set out in the report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body which was published on 30 June 2002. The benchmarking body linked implementation of its recommendations to modernisation in the public service. Agreement between the public service employers and the ICTU-affiliated public service unions on implementation of the benchmarking body's report was reached earlier this year in the context of the new social partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress.
The agreement provides, subject to its acceptance by the individual unions and representative associations involved, for payment of 25% of the benchmarking increases from 1 December 2001. It also provides for payment of the balance of the increases in two phases viz. 50% from 1 January 2004 and 25% from 1 June 2005. Under Sustaining Progress, payment of these final two phases is dependent on real and verifiable modernisation, industrial relations stability, co-operation with change, and achievement of a number of specific commitments in each sector, in line with the recommendations of the Public Service Benchmarking Body.
