Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2016
37. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if changes to the payment of allowances to newly recruited firefighters have implications for other public servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13043/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhat has been agreed to date with the representatives of firefighters in local authorities within the context of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-18 is an accord in principle on the delivery of a comprehensive range of productivity measures related to reforms in respect of the strategically important Keeping Communities Safe programme, the implementation of which is a matter for the fire service authorities at a national level. It is furthermore the case that the reform measures are to be implemented by the entire group of full-time firefighters.
The agreement regarding the firefighters' pay scale is the result of discussions within the terms of the Lansdowne Road agreement with unions that are fully signed up to the agreement, which remains the framework for public service pay.
Any further consideration of remuneration for any group of public servants, including issues relating to more recently recruited public servants, will fall to be examined within the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-18. Such arrangements will require compliance with the provisions of the Lansdowne Road agreement on the part of the staff interests. They will also have to comply with the terms of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 to 2015 and their affordability must be underpinned through delivering enhanced workplace practices and productivity.
If Deputies agree, we will take their questions together before asking the Minister to respond.
That is fine. Will the Minister confirm that the template used for the fire service was used by the Teachers' Union of Ireland in negotiations? Will he reaffirm that only trade unions that have signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement and their members will benefit if a similar template were used for other professions? Could this template, with its changes in allowances and so forth, be used in other professions, particularly for new entrants?
Is it the Minister's intention to punish trade unions, including ASTI, that have not signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement? Will these unions continue to be threatened with the use of the financial emergency measures in the public interest legislation?
I welcome the changes to the payment of allowances to newly recruited firefighters. Could this mechanism be used by other categories of workers in the public sector? This issue is not addressed in the Lansdowne Road agreement. Is the Minister suggesting that workers use the agreement's mechanisms to deal with these issues? I am not referring to firefighters but other categories of workers who also have legitimate issues regarding the payment of allowances.
As I stated, this template was my parting gift to the Minister. It is very useful, not only for firefighters. Does the Minister agree it would be useful for getting the TUI over the line and for dealing with the Garda Síochána? Is it his intention that the provisions of the financial emergency measures in the public interest legislation will be applied to trade unions which are outside the Lansdowne Road agreement when the current Haddington Road arrangements come to an end?
It is not the case that a template has been created for dealing with firefighters. What has occurred is that the terms and processes of the Lansdowne Road agreement have been used to deal with this matter. As I stated, we will use the processes provided for in the agreement to engage with different sectoral trade unions to do what we can in response to the issues they are raising. However, all such responses must comply with the structures, timeframe and costs set out in the Lansdowne Road agreement.
To respond to Deputy Cullinane, I am not threatening or punishing any trade union.
That is not how certain trade unions see it.
I would not use such language.
It was used by the Secretary General of the Department.
We will have one voice at a time, please.
I have been very clear about how we speak to trade unions that are outside the Lansdowne Road agreement. The inflammatory language used by Deputy Cullinane-----
ASTI made that point.
-----is the type of language that makes these matters more difficult to resolve. I hope the approach of the House will be to examine how we can resolve these issues. In light of the support the Deputy expressed for the Lansdowne Road agreement, perhaps he will also acknowledge its benefits. What I and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, have said is that we must be fair to the unions that voted in favour of the agreement by ensuring the benefits and protections it offers are confined to them.
The Department threatened ASTI.
