Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2018
159. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of civil and public servants earning less than the hourly living wage of €11.70 per hour by Department and agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7028/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought in this request would require detailed data on the position of staff on each salary scale across the public service and details of the standard working hours per week for each individual grade. This data is not available to the Department.
Pay band data available to the Department indicates that some 94% of all public service staff are on salary points in excess of €25,000 per annum. The suggested wage at €11.70 per hour based on the Civil Service 37 hour standard net working week equates to an annual salary of €22,589.
Any of those currently on an annual salary of less than €22,589 could be receiving remuneration in excess of the suggested living wage through additional premium payments in respect of shift or atypical working hours or are on salary scales that progress to the suggested living wage through incremental progression.
Data based on Civil Service staff only at end of Qtr 4 2017 indicates that only some 1% of staff (FTE) in the Civil Service are on salary points less than €22,589. Detailed information in other sectors of the public service would require collation on an individual sector level.
Under the new Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, from January 2018 pay rates in the public service have been further adjusted. The pay increases provided for under the Agreement are again progressively weighted towards the lower paid with benefits ranging from 7.4% to 6.2% over the term to end 2020. As a result, further pay rises under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 will act to increase staff numbers earning above the living wage.
