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Howlin insists: If Unions keep Croke Park commitments, we’ll keep ours

The public expenditure minister tells the Dáil that lower-paid public servants will not have their increments cut.

THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE minister Brendan Howlin has affirmed that the government does not plan to defer increments due to lower-paid public servants – potentially re-opening conflict between the government parties.

Taking Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil this morning, standing in for Eamon Gilmore, Howlin said previous Labour Court rulings had affirmed that increments – the annual pay increases given to public staff in lower wage brackets – were a core part of employees’ pay.

While Howlin said the government was keen to lessen its overall spending on the public payroll, it had sought to do so by introducing caps on the wages of higher-paid servants in the public and semi-state sectors.

“So long as Croke Park and the unions signed up to it deliver their side of the bargain, the government is committed to delivering its side,” the minister affirmed to Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald.

Howlin admitted that he was “anxious to negotiate and interact with the trade union movement – as I do all the time – to get the best value”.

The minister said he was a “strong supporter” of the deal and referred to recent reports showing that the deal had achieved savings of about €1.5 billion since its introduction two years ago.

Under the deal, the government commits not to enforce compulsory redundancies in the public sector, in exchange for commitments from staff on extra flexibility.

Disputes on savings

The prospect of increments being withheld arose at the weekend after transport minister Leo Varadkar pointed out that suspending increments could save in the region of €200 million a year.

“I certainly wouldn’t begrudge anyone their increment but its very hard to justify giving anyone a pay increase in the year ahead while we’re cutting services,” Varadkar had told Newstalk radio.

“That’s a big saving, and one that doesn’t hurt anyone because they’re not worse off.”

Varadkar’s figure has been questioned, however, with Labour chairman Colm Keaveney suggesting that the savings would actually be closer to €50 million.

McDonald had also taken issue with the “scandalous” €238,727 salary being paid to the new chief executive of the VHI, John O’Dwyer – which was yesterday reported to be in breach of the pay cap set by the government for semi-state staff.

Howlin said there were occasional situations where “to get people of the skills necessary to do some of the jobs we need to do”, the government needed to show “flexibility” in the wages being offered to chief executives.

The cabinet had previously indicated that only the chief executive of ESB would be permitted to earn more than €250,000 a year, while only the chief executives of RTÉ, An Post, CIE and the Dublin Airport Authority would be given wages of over €200,000.

Howlin has previously explained that the VHI wage was sanctioned following presentations by the Minister for Health, James Reilly, and this morning said he had not sanctioned any wage above the €250,000 upper ceiling laid out when the government took office.

Read: Public sector pay increments should be deferred, says Varadkar

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    Mute DonalC
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:47 PM

    Picture a world were Kanye West replaces Donald Trump as US president.

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    Mute DonalC
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:47 PM

    *where

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:51 PM

    Does it involve electrolytes???

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    Mute Lou Tennant
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:14 PM

    And lots OF LSD?

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    Mute Sarah Clifford
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    Sep 25th 2015, 6:07 AM

    idiocracy the movie

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    Mute Shane Fleming
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    Sep 25th 2015, 6:58 AM

    Don’t forget Kim would be the First Lady!

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:16 AM

    Seriously deluded. West is the next MC Hammer.

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    Mute Caitriona Ní Riain
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    Sep 25th 2015, 6:31 PM

    Oh Dear God.

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    Mute Brian Guilfoyle
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:46 PM

    If Kanye loves America like Kanye loves Kanye, they’ll be sorted

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    Mute Shinny
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:45 PM

    God help America, imagine what the founding fathers would think of it now

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    Mute Uncle Monty
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:59 PM

    I don’t think they would really dig it.

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    Mute Lou Tennant
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:13 PM

    The founding fathers be like yo, what’s up muhphuqqaz?

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    Mute jenni
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    Sep 24th 2015, 11:04 PM

    nothing to see here lads..him and his have exhausted mtv by now, its about time they brought on a new family mess. Cheaper and less damage to the whole economic universe. Oh and we dont have to widen doors to get bog heads in.

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    Mute jenni
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    Sep 24th 2015, 11:05 PM

    I meant to say big heads..

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    Mute Gracie
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    Sep 25th 2015, 7:51 AM

    Yo Bro, we will build a bigger White House. We’s will call the mother fuc*er black house. We’s will make rap sh*t and sing about it. My wife will not be First Lady, she’s like only lady bro. The North wing was named after my first born. My second born will be called West. We won’t like downsizing but we’ll do it cuz we love you all. America needs the Wests, the world needs the West’s

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Sep 25th 2015, 11:26 PM

    I think that MTV has forgotten what the “M” stands for…

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    Mute Big T
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:00 PM

    I’m pretty sure the “we hate Kanye ” era hasn’t passed and I don’t think it will for some time.

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    Mute John S
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    Sep 24th 2015, 11:05 PM

    I’m not convinced by Kanye, he’d take my money when I’m in need…..

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    Mute Claire
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:49 PM

    Would be worth him winning just for Donald Trump to interupt the inauguration by grabbing the mic and saying Jayz would be the best politician of all time.

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:01 PM

    His grandfather, seven times removed, was from Clonakilty. You heard it here first. He’ll drink a pint American President in De’Barras yet I’m telling ya.

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:37 PM

    They’ve always been good a producing black ‘puddings’ down there…….. I’m gonna hell for that joke.

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    Mute Brendan
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:25 PM

    Absolute f*cking bell end he is, if he was ever voted in now that would say a lot about Americans

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    Mute Eugene Harrington
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:52 PM

    If Trump can be a contender why not this clown?

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    Mute Colin Moran
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:06 PM

    Jedward for the Áras!

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    Mute Eleanor Hegarty
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:41 PM

    Don’t encourage em

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    Mute Eleanor Hegarty
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:41 PM

    Don’t encourage em

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    Mute Eleanor Hegarty
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:41 PM

    Don’t encourage em

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    Mute Colin Moran
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    Sep 25th 2015, 12:16 AM

    I heard you the first time.

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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:29 PM

    If ever a bloke suffered from Up Syndrome.

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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:30 PM

    Does he like fish sticks?

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    Mute Lorna Holderied
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    Sep 24th 2015, 11:32 PM

    Great …Not the first lady will have been in playboy,have a sex tape been married three times. Totes hillarious

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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:26 PM

    The West Wing….

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    Mute BevinArmageddon
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:36 PM

    “I think we can”

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    Mute JUSTIN Young
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:45 PM

    who ?

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:48 PM

    “Never heard of her! ‘….. Lemmy

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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:16 PM

    Bo’Selecta! Proper Bo’

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    Mute Daniel Carry
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:51 PM

    A candidate with an ego and intellect Donald Trump

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    Mute Daniel Carry
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:52 PM

    *with the ego and intellect of Donald Trump

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    Mute westcorklad
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:15 PM

    Clown

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    Mute Eddie Byrne
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:09 PM

    And we think we’re bad with Enda Kenny

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Sep 24th 2015, 9:51 PM

    At last, an African American candidate.

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    Mute Jonny Irish
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:32 PM

    I’m sorry Paul but I have to say I find a large amount of your comments to be utterly nauseating. You have nothing interesting about you.

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    Mute Danger Spoons
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:41 PM

    who would struggle to spell candidate

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    Mute Alan Roddy
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    Sep 25th 2015, 12:43 AM

    And struggle to spell American

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Sep 25th 2015, 7:15 AM

    Soz.

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    Mute Red Ed
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    Sep 24th 2015, 11:02 PM
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    Mute Red Ed
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    Sep 24th 2015, 11:03 PM

    kanye’s unscripted rant about George Bush says it all

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    Mute justpassing
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    Sep 25th 2015, 12:11 AM

    That was TV gold!

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    Mute Jimmy Murphy
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    Sep 25th 2015, 1:32 AM

    Well it may not be a joke to him but to everyone else…

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    Mute Tadgh Smith
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    Sep 24th 2015, 10:33 PM

    Kanye West has left the building…

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    Mute Alan Roddy
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    Sep 25th 2015, 12:47 AM

    Hopefully he got lost

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    Mute Ann Rogan Hand
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:36 AM

    Dick

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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Sep 25th 2015, 8:43 AM

    The thoughts of that fxxkin eejit being president of America just cracks me up

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Sep 26th 2015, 8:26 AM

    He’s just so dislikable

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Sep 25th 2015, 4:40 PM

    Is he that arrogant or does he need an exorcist?

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