Exchequer Savings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 July 2011

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Ceisteanna (251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

250 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all ministerial pay was capped at €100,000 per annum. [22183/11]

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

251 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all Minister of State pay was capped at €100,000 per annum. [22184/11]

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

256 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all Deputies’ salaries were capped at €75,000 per annum. [22189/11]

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

257 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all Senators salaries’ were capped at €60,000 per annum. [22190/11]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 250, 251, 256 and 257 together.

I refer to my reply to Question No. 226 of 19 July.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

252 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all Government special advisers pay was capped at €60,000, €80,000 and €100,000 per annum in a tabular format. [22185/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

According to the Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in March 2011 Special Advisors are to be placed on the Principal Officer (standard) scale. Appointments are generally required to be at the minimum of the scale.

The approval for Special Advisor posts is not fully finalised in all instances, though I expect it to be completed shortly. On that basis I will get back to the Deputy with the details of actual pay approved as she has requested as soon as possible.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

253 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if the maximum salary of all public servants were capped at €100,000 per annum. [22186/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

I refer to the reply by my colleague the Minister for Finance to Questions Nos. 39, 43 and 45 taken together on 5 July 2011.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

254 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if the maximum salary of all chief executive officers of commercial semi-State bodies were capped at €100,000 per annum. [22187/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

The estimated full year saving if the maximum salary of all Chief Executive Officers of commercial State companies were capped at €100,000 per annum is approximately €3 million.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

255 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money figure saved if the maximum salary of all State agency bodies senior management were capped at €100,000 per annum. [22188/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

The Government supports a strong policy of pay restraint in the public service. The Deputy will be aware that the Government recently announced a general pay ceiling of €200,000 in the public service which included non-commercial State sponsored bodies/agencies.

I have no plans, nor am I currently examining the effect of, the introduction of a unilateral pay cap at €100,000 for senior management of non-commercial state agencies. Pay rates for this sector will be set in accordance with general Government pay policy for the general public service.

Questions Nos. 256 and 257 answered with Question No. 250.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

258 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all State agency board member payments were reduced by €10,000 where their current annual payment is in excess of €50,000. [22191/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

I am not aware of any instance in which the annual fee payable to a State agency board member exceeds €50,000 euros.

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

259 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all public representative expenses were reduced by 10%, 20%, 30%, in tabular format [22196/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

The following tables set out the position on the various reduced public representative expenses rates.

Ministerial Motor Travel Rates

Under 6437 km	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
0 — 1200cc	39.12 cent	35.21 cent	31.30 cent	27.38 cent
1201 — 1500cc	46.25 cent	41.63 cent	37.00 cent	32.38 cent
1501 — 2000 cc	59.07 cent	53.16 cent	47.26 cent	41.35 cent
over 2000 cc	70.89 cent	63.80 cent	56.71 cent	49.62 cent

Over 6437 km	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
0 — 1200cc	21.22 cent	19.10 cent	16.98 cent	14.85 cent
1201 — 1500cc	23.62 cent	21.26 cent	23.62 cent	16.53 cent
1501 — 2000 cc	28.46 cent	25.61 cent	22.77 cent	19.92 cent
over 2000 cc	34.15 cent	30.74 cent	27.32 cent	23.91 cent

Ministerial Subsistence Rates [Ministers may also vouch the cost of accommodation]

	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
24 hour	€72.66	€65.39	€58.13	€50.86
10 hour	€33.61	€30.25	€26.89	€23.53
5 hour	€13.71	€12.34	€10.97	€9.60

Travel and accommodation allowance [not available to Ministers]

Deputy
Band	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Dublin	€12,000	€10,800	€9,600	€8,400
1	€28,106	€25,295	€22,485	€19,674
2	€30,350	€27,315	€24,280	€21,245
3	€31,850	€28,665	€25,480	€22,295
4	€32,966	€29,669	€26,373	€23,076
5	€33,350	€30,015	€26,680	€23,345
6	€33,722	€30,350	€26,978	€23,605
7	€34,094	€30,685	€27,275	€23,866
8	€34,850	€31,365	€27,880	€24,395
9	€35,594	€32,035	€28,475	€24,916
10	€36,350	€32,715	€29,080	€25,445
11	€37,106	€33,395	€29,685	€25,974
12	€37,850	€34,065	€30,280	€26,495

Senators

Band	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Dublin	€7,000	€6,300	€5,600	€4,900
1	€23,106	€20,795	€18,485	€16,174
2	€25,350	€22,815	€20,280	€17,745
3	€26,850	€24,165	€21,480	€18,795
4	€27,966	€25,169	€22,373	€19,576
5	€28,350	€25,515	€22,680	€19,845
6	€28,722	€25,850	€22,978	€20,105
7	€29,094	€26,185	€23,275	€20,366
8	€29,850	€26,865	€23,880	€20,895
9	€30,594	€27,535	€24,475	€21,416
10	€31,350	€28,215	€25,080	€21,945
11	€32,106	€28,895	€25,685	€22,474
12	€32,850	€29,565	€26,280	€22,995

Oireachtas Office Holders

Band	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Dublin	€8,400	€7,560	€6,720	€5,880
1	€24,457	€22,011	€19,566	€17,120
2	€27,150	€24,435	€21,720	€19,005
3	€28,950	€26,055	€23,160	€20,265
4	€30,289	€27,260	€24,231	€21,202
5	€30,750	€27,675	€24,600	€21,525
6	€31,196	€28,076	€24,957	€21,837
7	€31,643	€28,479	€25,314	€22,150
8	€32,550	€29,295	€26,040	€22,785
9	€33,443	€30,099	€26,754	€23,410
10	€34,350	€30,915	€27,480	€24,045
11	€35,257	€31,731	€28,206	€24,680
12	€36,150	€32,535	€28,920	€25,305

Public Representation Allowance [PRA]

PRA	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
TD Min	€15,000	€13,500	€12,000	€10,500
TD Max	€27,500	€24,750	€22,000	€19,250
Senator Min	€9,250	€8,325	€7,400	€6,475
Senator Max	€15,000	€13,500	€12,000	€10,500
Minister Min	€12,000	€10,800	€9,600	€8,400
Minister Max	€20,000	€18,000	€16,000	€14,000

One off Constituency Office grant

	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Amount	€8,000	€7,200	€6,400	€5,600

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

260 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the money saved if all senior civil servant expenses were reduced by 10%, 20%, 30% in tabular format. [22197/11]

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

My Department has responsibility for setting the actual rates for various expense allowances payable to civil servants including senior civil servants. The following tables set out the position on the various reduced rates payable to senior civil servants.

Motor Travel Rates

Under 6,437 km	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
0 — 1200cc	39.12 cent	35.21 cent	31.30 cent	27.38 cent
1201 — 1500cc	46.25 cent	41.63 cent	37.00 cent	32.38 cent
over 1500 cc	59.07 cent	53.16 cent	47.26 cent	41.35 cent

Over 6,437 km	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
0 — 1200cc	21.22 cent	19.10 cent	16.98 cent	14.85 cent
1201 — 1500cc	23.62 cent	21.26 cent	23.62 cent	16.53 cent
over 1500 cc	28.46 cent	25.61 cent	22.77 cent	19.92 cent

Reduced Mileage	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
0 — 1200cc	14.64 cent	13.18 cent	11.71 cent	10.25 cent
1201 — 1500cc	16.64 cent	14.98 cent	13.31 cent	11.65 cent
over 1500 cc	19.49 cent	17.54 cent	15.59 cent	13.62 cent

Subsistence	Current	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Overnight	€108.99	€98.09	€87.19	€76.29
10 hour	€33.61	€30.25	€26.89	€23.53
5 hour	€13.71	€12.34	€10.97	€9.60

Expenses incurred by Secretary Generals

	Annual Certified amount	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Secretary General	€750.00	€675.00	€600.00	€525.00
Second Secretary	€317.40	€285.66	€253.92	€222.18

Official Entertainment Allowances [Amounts below are the limits currently provided for Secretary

Generals and Assistant Secretaries]
	Current rate	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Dinner	€50.79	€45.71	€40.63	€35.55
Lunch	€38.09	€34.28	€30.47	€26.66

Official Entertainment for other grades

	Current rate	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Dinner	€44.44	€40.00	€35.55	€31.11
Lunch	€31.74	€28.57	€25.39	€22.22

When standing in for a Minister

	Current rate	10% reduction	20% reduction	30% reduction
Reception	€12.70	€11.43	€10.16	€8.89