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MINISTER FOR PUBLIC Expenditure Brendan Howlin has insisted the government is committed to avoiding more public sector pay cuts – but said there are no guarantees.
The minister said current pay levels are “contingent on delivery of the Croke Park Agreement”, adding that if the requisite savings are made then no further pay reductions will be necessary.
If we can’t get the flexibilities we require, then all bets are off. But both sides have respected the agreement so far. It [the Agreement] is delivered and the Government will continue to honour it so long as it’s honoured by all parties.
In an interview with Impact trade union’s in-house magazine Work & Life, Minister Howlin stressed that the February deadline for voluntary retirement with full pension will be crucial in determining whether public sector staff numbers can be sufficiently reduced. “If people go before the end of February, they will retain the pre-cut level of pension and lump sum,” he said.
He acknowledged that there was waste in the public services – saying that revelations about job perks such as 45 days annual leave were “not acceptable any more” – but insisted that public sector workers themselves wanted to see changes. “There’s almost a cry for change from people at the coalface,” he said. “They know there’s huge waste. They are frustrated in what they want to do.”
Minister Howlin also appeared to row back slightly on his notorious statement that Ireland’s public services were “not fit for purpose”. He told interviewer Bernard Harbor: “I think I only used the phrase once, but it’s been repeated and rehashed a lot. And I did say ‘some elements’ of the public service.”
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Ireland’s public services were “not fit for purpose”
Couldn’t the same be said about the money wasting gobshites running this country, when are they going to look at their own Massive Salaries, Pensions and Expenses.
And Enda and others have just given salaries over the pay cap to their staff ! These politicians obviously dont class themselves as public servants. Which of course they arent as it would seem they are all in it just for their egotistical selves.
Cmon like the public service jav bn cut every yr since 08, how much more !!
Pension levy, health levy, increased taxation, lower tax credits the usc, and overtime obliterated completly.. I knoe its still better than unemployment but still public service r being used as scapegoats here
Increased taxes are like a paper cut compared to the destruction that is being made unemployed. To wake up each morning and either face being unemployed, or live in the fear of unemployment, is going to cause resentment towards those that do not have to worry about it. It’s human nature.
Time for all public servants to get their pension only when they reach 65 not as it is know. A pension at 50 for some sectors and then off to get another job. This means we are paying certain civil servants for possibly another 40 to 50 years of non productive return. Brendan you need to get the house in order before it’s to late
Just a point of information, Sean, but you’re getting mixed up between civil and public servants. There is a difference, you know. Civil servants don’t get a full pension at 50, but *some* public servants might (e.g., Gardaí)
So what you want is 64 year old guards/firefighter/paramedics. Would you be happy with that then.
As a public servant I feel we’ve been cut enough. Any more cuts an I’ll be seriously under pressure. Despite that I think the public and civil service should be revamped completely. Way too many people not qualified for the job there doing.
Iv a big problem with the sick leave in both services, but that’s just a pet hate with me.
Also I think all front line services should be joined up. At present we have a fire control, ambulance control and garda control centre(I know the situation is different in Dublin). Why can’t we have one control centre for all. This would streamline personal and also streamline calls.
Could go on.
Higher up civil servants haven’t seen half the wage cuts that some sectors of the private industry have. Higher paid and the time wasters need to be cut. My Dad lost his job about a year ago but has since found employment in the ‘civil service’ on a low paid wage, he gets that wage topped up by fis. He said he’s shocked at the level of managment and corruption he’s seen. Everyone is related, it’s a closed shop. He only got the job as the 3 guys they had do it before him couldn’t do the job. They arrive in at all hours.
As he’s a new contract he doesn’t get over time. He said anytime he tries to contact anyone they won’t arrive until half 4 at the earliest, as if they go even ten mins over 5 o’clock they get overtime. It’s a joke. There’s one guy in the office who was given the title of craftsman due to the length he’s been in working there for, he supposedly does the same job as my father. Yet it emerges this ‘craftsman’ can’t even fit a lock to a door yet he’s getting paid 3 times the amount for doing less work. The whole system is a joke. But if they’re going to cut then they need to carry out tests on people in the various sectors to see if they actually are capable of doing their job. I fear if more cuts come in then it’l just be the small low paid guy..first in first out method. They’l keep all the high paid, time wasting relatives.
Hed make more money selling his story to the papers !
If a garda had served 30yrs at 50 which is extremly rare he is entitled to a pension which is also cut ! The amonut of people who cannot pay their mortgages yet ther gna take more, its gna b a never ending cycle !
I feel for anyone unemployed i really do.. But any educated person knows u cannot tax ur way outa this !! The economy needs to be stimulated and the more they tax the public service the longer the dole cues will be !
Can government policy become any less credible in Ireland? Seems like only August and September that the same Minister was effusive in his praise for the Croke Park Agreement? Make your Mind up please Minister.
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