Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 May 2017
149. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to restore the public service to a single tier pay structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21243/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 10% reductions in starting pay for certain new entrants were introduced in January 2011 as part of the National Recovery Plan in order to reduce the Public Service Pay Bill by the then Government and as a response to the serious fiscal position presenting at that time.
The issue of addressing the difference in incremental salary scales between those public servants, who entered public service employment since 2011 and those who entered before that date was addressed with the relevant union interests under the provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA). From 1 November 2013 pre and post-2011 pay scales were merged into a single consolidated scale applicable to each grade. Generally, the third point of 1 November 2013 payscale is equivalent to the first point of scale of the pre 2011 scale. Guidelines in relation to the merging of the scales are available on my Departments website http://www.per.gov.ie/en/haddington-road-agreement/
Any further remuneration adjustment, for any group of public servants including new entrants, can be examined under the framework of the Lansdowne Road Agreement but must also be considered in the context of the total cost of the agreement (€844m) and the total cost of the outstanding FEMPI restoration post Lansdowne Road (€1.4bn).
Acting within these constraints, the Agreement has provided the flexibility to address particular sectoral issues such as the restoration of supervision and substitution payments and new entrant payments in the Education Sector and the restoration of rent allowances to new entrant firefighters and members of An Garda Síochána.
