22 Samh 2012, 16:18
The current system of public sector allowances is not fit for purpose and brings discredit to the legitimate expectations of public servants for proper pay and recognition, according to a new report from the Committee of Public Accounts published today, Thursday, 22nd November.
The Report on Public Sector Allowances said that the proliferation of allowances does not meet the expectation of the taxpayer for a modern, transparent and flexible pay system capable of meeting the many challenges facing our country.
Chairman of the Committee John McGuinness, TD said: “A root and branch reform is necessary which should see many allowances transferred into core pay and a plethora of allowances that are paid for extra duties being reduced to a small number of generic type payments that will pay the same amount to those doing this extra work. Our Report also shows that the majority of allowances go to front line staff and that for many of the low paid workers in the public service, allowances can represent a significant portion of take-home pay.
On the review of Oireachtas allowances, the Committee agreed that these allowances should be the subject of similar public scrutiny. The systems put in place in 2009 require significant change and our report calls for greater transparency with all payments being vouched or verified.”
The report makes a number of recommendations which seek to improve the current systems and structures of pay in the public sector. Among these recommendations are:
• Universal allowances that are paid to all members of a grade should be incorporated into core pay.
• The number of allowances should be consolidated.
• The long tail of allowances, where small allowances in monetary terms are paid to small numbers of staff, must be replaced by a small number of generic allowances that recognise specific duties.
• All expenses should be vouched or verified, including those allowances paid to Members of the Oireachtas.
• The level and manner of payment of Oireachtas allowances should be determined by an independent authority.
Deputy McGuinness concluded: “The Report is based on the evidence taken by the Committee at seven public hearings in October and November this year. It is an important piece of work which will assist the public service reform agenda as the recommendations of the Report, which revolve around making the pay structures more transparent and streamlined, can now feed into that process.”
Read the report here: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/pac/Report-on-Public-Sector-Allowances.pdf
For further information, contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
E: ciaran.brennan@oireachtas.ie
Committee of Public Accounts
Membership
John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Gerald Nash,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross