The Department of Agriculture and Food currently employs 4,815 staff. The 1,246 staff employed by Teagasc, Bord Glas and Bord Bia are also covered by the benchmarking agreement.
The projected cost for benchmarking for 2004 is €10.8 million, of which €8.2 million relates to the Department of Agriculture and Food and €2.6 million relates to Teagasc, Bord Glas and Bord Bia.
Payment of the benchmarking as well as other general round pay increases, is dependent upon: verification of co-operation with flexibility and ongoing change; satisfactory implementation of the agenda for modernisation; maintenance of stable industrial relations; and absence of industrial action in respect of any matters covered by Sustaining Progress.