Public Sector Pay

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Ceisteanna (764)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

770 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a group of workers (details supplied) in County Cork are classified as public or private sector workers; the reason they did not qualify for any pay increase under either sector for a number of years yet qualified under the financial emergency measures in the public sector which meant a deduction of 16% to their wages to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27254/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Simon Coveney)

Moorepark Technology Ltd (MTL) is a subsidiary of Teagasc, the Agriculture, Food and Development Authority, with 57% of the shares owned by Teagasc and the remainder by a number of dairy processing companies. It was established in 1993 to facilitate and promote research and development in the Irish dairy industry and to enable Teagasc to fulfil its statutory function in conducting public good research on behalf of the agri- food sector.

MTL is deemed to be a "public service body" under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009 by virtue of the fact that they have a public service pension scheme. MTL was therefore legally obliged to make deductions in pay from MTL staff in accordance with the explicit provisions in the Act and is legally precluded from awarding any increase in pay rates to staff. However, staff in MTL were granted an exemption from the pay cut for the period between 1 January 2010 and 14 February 2011 under the discretion conferred in Section 6 of the Act.