The Cabinet is expected to this week formally approve the establishment of an expert group to look at unwinding controversial additional unpaid hours introduced for tens of thousands of public service staff in 2013. The establishment of the group and the Government’s commitment to set aside a €150 million fund to pay for the implementation of its recommendations were key features of the public service pay deal agreed last December. Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath is expected to urge the Government to back a number of elements of the new agreement on Tuesday. The deal also provides for a sectoral bargaining process aimed at dealing with outstanding claims and awards in different parts of the public service and a fund, valued at 1 per cent of the public pay bill as of next February, will be set aside for this purpose. Mr McGrath’s department had previously estimated that it could cost more than €600 million to abolish the additional hours, although these figures are disputed by unions.

Source: The Irish Times May 03, 2021 00:00 UTC