Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Managing Director of Irish Water, John Tierney Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Benchmarked pay increases open to Irish Water staff

Ervia has said that the pay model does not allow for increases simply because the market has increased.

ERVIA HAS RELEASED a statement in the wake of a report on benchmarked pay increases at Irish Water.

The report on RTÉ programme This Week today said that “staff at Irish Water can benefit from an annual salary increase if it can be shown that pay has risen at rival or similar firms”, as part of its pay system.

It said that a mechanism called ‘Pay Progression’ was agreed between management at Irish Water’s parent company Ervia and unions in 2013.

The pay increase under benchmarking is separate to the previously-reported on performance bonuses.

RTÉ said that it was told by a spokesperson that: “If there is “positive market movement” then this is reflected in any possible pay rise by Irish Water and Ervia staff, if it gets board approval.”

In response, Ervia said this evening that the pay model does not allow for increases simply because the market has increased.

The market is the benchmark against which any potential pay changes are assessed. Absolutely no pay increases are guaranteed to anyone, even if the market changes.

It also said that there is a salary freeze in place until 2016 and no member of staff can be considered for a pay increase until after that.

“After 2016, there are no guaranteed or automatic pay increases,” said the statement.

Ervia said:

The pay model was put in place to reflect market best practice and with extensive external benchmarking. In addition, to clarify the reference in the RTE report to salaries being benchmarked at market median — base salary plus any performance related award is benchmarked at median.

Tens of thousands of people protested around Ireland yesterday against the introduction of water charges.

Read: As it happened: Tens of thousands protest against water charges>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
104 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Quinlan
    Favourite Niall Quinlan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:20 PM

    He hasn’t turned out to be as bad as predicted. Does what he says he’ll do. The world feels a bit safer today than it did a couple of weeks ago.

    110
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheldon
    Favourite Sheldon
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:24 PM

    @Niall Quinlan: Careful now, that kind of talk doesn’t go down well around here.

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Quinlan
    Favourite Niall Quinlan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:30 PM

    @Sheldon: I know, it’s just my opinion on how his presidency is panning out. The doomsday scenario painted by the anti-Trump brigade was nothing but fear mongering. Hillary would have started WW3 by now had she won IMO.

    85
    See 14 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Acedeuce
    Favourite Acedeuce
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:30 PM

    @Niall Quinlan: I want a poll on whether or not we should have repeal the 8th murals on the Korean demilitarized zone

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Jackson
    Favourite Jack Jackson
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:31 PM

    @Sheldon: Do you keep that response in your copy and past section…….Yawn.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ihcalaM
    Favourite ihcalaM
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:39 PM

    @Niall Quinlan: “Doomsday scenario painted by [...]”

    “Hillary would’ve started WW3 by now”

    Right. Bit of a doomsday-monger yourself, aren’t you?

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheldon
    Favourite Sheldon
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:42 PM

    @Jack Jackson: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Quinlan
    Favourite Niall Quinlan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:54 PM

    @ihcalaM: I welcome peace, I’m relieved as a human-being that the Koreans are entering a new positive phase of peace negotiations. How does that make me a war monger? You appear to be upset at my comment about the Don. You’ll get over it.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Jackson
    Favourite Jack Jackson
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:57 PM

    @Sheldon: And there’s another one.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Quinlan
    Favourite Niall Quinlan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:17 PM

    @Sheldon: Us humans have always repeated the mistakes made by our ancestors, correct. History doesn’t repeat itself, humankind just never learns.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:20 PM

    @Jack Jackson: Here’s my favourite .
    “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm “

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shea Fitzgerald
    Favourite Shea Fitzgerald
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:43 PM

    @Niall Quinlan: Don’t forget how dangerous the world felt a few weeks ago and remember the role Trumpet played in that, goading the protagonist. This peace breakthrough in Korea probably has more to do with the Chinese than anyone else and the Duck is going around crowing about it as if he did it singlehanded. Don’t buy his hype. I can’t even begin to imagine how he would have responded if he got the same kicking Putin and Russia got a few weeks ago, meted out by himself and his allies, UK and France.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Woods
    Favourite Kieran Woods
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 5:14 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: the problem with the world is powerful countries visiting violence on countries that do no harm.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 5:33 PM

    @Kieran Woods: Which is why we need to remain neutral and protect our borders , and the people within .
    We are a small country , we’re used as a backdoor into Europe by multinational corporations , if they decided to leave tomorrow , what type of mess do you think we’d be in .

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ihcalaM
    Favourite ihcalaM
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 6:15 PM

    @Niall Quinlan: Didn’t say you didn’t welcome peace.

    What you did was criticise anti-Trump people for their wild speculation before the election, then you wildly speculated about Hillary and WW3 if she were President.

    Make sense? Thought not.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Cauldhame
    Favourite Frank Cauldhame
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 7:24 PM

    @ihcalaM: Re-read the opening comment,

    ‘He hasn’t turned out to be as bad as predicted’

    Hillary would have been a disaster IMO, she is still crying like a little snowflake since her election defeat and yes I would not trust her with the big red button…..

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Quinlan
    Favourite Niall Quinlan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 7:41 PM

    @ihcalaM: Mindreading now are we? Thought so.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cormac o neill
    Favourite cormac o neill
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:16 PM

    Great President is Trump.. 50 years in the making and he gets if somewhere at last .. Nobel peace prize on the way

    75
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony John Cotter
    Favourite Anthony John Cotter
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:23 PM

    @cormac o neill: NRA & Weapon Manufacturers are unlikely to allow the puppet to have anything to do with peace, he is more divisive than Nitroglycerin.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheldon
    Favourite Sheldon
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:25 PM

    @Anthony John Cotter: So you’re saying Obama’s strategic patience plan was a load of bollocks too?!

    33
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:33 PM

    @Anthony John Cotter: If Obama got one for destroying Libya and funnelling weapons to Isis , what’s the benchmark for getting a Nobel peace prize .

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Chapman
    Favourite Alan Chapman
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:35 PM

    @cormac o neill: I’d kill for one of those Nobel peace prizes

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Antis have zero solutions
    Favourite Antis have zero solutions
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 7:35 PM
    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Lang
    Favourite Michael Lang
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:39 PM

    Hopefully the important work will be well done before Trump gets a chance to interfere.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:44 PM

    @Michael Lang: I think it’s a bit late to say that , if he hadn’t stood up to the North Koreans when they were firing rockets towards Japan , this would wouldn’t be happening now .

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Quinlan
    Favourite Niall Quinlan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:58 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Spot on.

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Dowd
    Favourite Michael Dowd
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 3:51 PM

    The only reason North Korea are, for the time being, behaving themselves is because the severe sanctions are beginning to bite

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:01 PM

    @Michael Dowd: Indeed , if embargoes weren’t in place , fat boy there would have eaten himself to death .

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute johnp
    Favourite johnp
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:12 PM

    @Michael Dowd: that and according to the Chinese their underground nuclear test site collapsed after their last test but maybe I’m being a cynic

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel J. Somers
    Favourite Daniel J. Somers
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:15 PM

    This came about because of South Korean protests, then a change of President who went about calling for dialogue and it had feck all to do with Trump or the US. But if/when Trump talks with Kim, there will be breaking news like it was all his doing.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:43 PM

    @Daniel J. Somers: So no other SK president ever tried dialogue with the North Koreans ?
    If that’s true , I can’t understand why .
    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2381967/kim-jong-un-cackles-as-he-watches-his-troops-blow-up-mock-up-of-south-koreas-presidential-blue-house/
    And the actual attack .
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_House_raid

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel J. Somers
    Favourite Daniel J. Somers
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 4:56 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: A Sun reader, bwahahaha.

    2
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 5:48 PM

    @Daniel J. Somers: Great reply , you have me there , it must be fake news if the sun reported it .
    And I’m sure Wikipedia can also be dissed , but where’s your evidence to support your claim that no SK president tried to have a dialogue with the North .
    P.S , as you’re obviously a cultural snob .
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-southkorea/north-koreas-kim-guides-special-operations-drill-targeting-south-idUSKBN14004J

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel J. Somers
    Favourite Daniel J. Somers
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 9:45 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Never said it was fake news.

    P.S. yourself

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 11:48 PM

    @Daniel J. Somers: But never put up a defense of your point of view .

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Duckster
    Favourite Michael Duckster
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 5:54 PM

    Another Trump success must be killing the lefties.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Tobin
    Favourite Mick Tobin
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 5:09 PM

    To what extent this has to do with Trump is anyone’s guess. As usual there’s several factors and perspectives. It’s possible that the ‘fire and fury’ rhetoric played a part, but there’s also word that Kim was watching him anyway as he thought Trump’s so-called unpredictability might also land him at a summit table.

    And note that before the Olympics Trump nearly messed up North and South nudging up to each other by making fresh threats, God knows why, but he wasn’t paying attention and shut Pyongyang up for days. Sheer diplomatic effort brought them back together.

    Kim is no fool. He’s Swiss-educated and will have been aware that if he’s to pull the country out of isolation, that’s a long and dangerous project. He wasn’t the only one with power when he inherited that country, and if he’d steered away from the nukes programme immediately he might’ve been fed to the dogs.

    I guess it also helps that North Korea blew its nuclear test facility to smithereens. There’s all sorts of factors involved here, but so far the outcome seems promising.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil Swan
    Favourite Phil Swan
    Report
    Apr 29th 2018, 9:07 AM

    I wouldn’t trust that Kim lad as far as he could be flung! Very sudden change of heart from wanting to obliterate the South a few weeks ago. I’d say USA went in the back door and put a gun to his head to get this. Sounds like good news but this is another USA invasion of a sovereign state. Pity they wouldn’t target Dail Eireann with a missile of some sort when in full session.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Grasshopper
    Favourite Grasshopper
    Report
    Apr 28th 2018, 10:51 PM

    We’re all doomed the world is coming to an end

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds