Kenny: Public sector numbers need to fall faster
Mr Kenny made the comments to trade union leaders yesterday and said further moves to cut the public sector bill would include fast-tracking changes to work practices in health as well as reforms in local government.
Union leaders and managers were told of the measures after Mr Kenny convened a meeting of the Croke Park implementation body.
The talks came as departments examined proposals by Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin to abolish nearly 90 allowances for workers which are not considered value for money or are outdated.
These include special clothing and border duty allowances for soldiers, chef and shredding allowances in agriculture, travel expenses for State enumerators, telephone and principal allowances in education, and a raft of special claims for the foreign service and prison staff.
Health employees will be docked allowances relating to working with cardiac equipment, in the Gaeltacht, as well as getting second opinions.
Unions immediately indicated they would fight the proposed cuts, which in some cases will only deduct a few euro from workers. But other allowances are viewed as core pay, such as those for gardaí and teachers.
The categories of teacher allowances to be prioritised for elimination currently cost almost €8m a year, including the €2.4m claimed by most principals for their role as board of management secretary, ranging from over €500 to almost €1,600. Almost €3m a year is paid to 1,850 teachers for teaching through Irish, and almost 800 teachers may lose a €3,063 allow-ance for working in Gaeltacht areas.
The Croke Park talks last night concluded with no definitive figure or timeline given to both sides about the Government’s renewed savings effort.
A Government spokesman outlined what Mr Kenny said at the talks. He said the Government was committed to the deal. Mr Kenny had told the Croke Park body that the Government was now facing “extraordinarily difficult choices to meet its expenditure targets for the 2013 budget”.
“The Government will only be able to meet these targets if it can significantly reduce payroll costs in 2013 by fully maximising the potential of the agreement.”
Unions were also told that talks on cutting allowances “must be brought to swift conclusion”.
Both sides were told that employee numbers needed to be reduced at a faster rate, including through a new round of redundancies. This is to be outlined by Mr Howlin in the coming weeks.
State bodies would be amalgamated or closed, unions were also told. Mr Kenny also said reforms in health as well as local government needed to be advanced.
However, unions will oppose the allowances being axed.
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation general secretary Sheila Nunan said allowances were part of core teacher pay. “Unilateral action by government on core pay would be a breach of the agreement,” she said.
Siptu also backs this position.
Earlier, Mr Howlin told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee that any allowance over €1,500 was considered part of core pay. He refused to put a target on the new proposed allowance savings.
Some of the 88 allowances to be axed under direction from Brendan Howlin:
AGRICULTURE
* Allowances to be chopped here include payments relating to the shredding allowance, the storekeeper allowance, and the milk agency receptionist.
* Another is the Gaeltacht allowance, where employees facilitate business operations through Irish.
* The chef allowance will also be axed which relates to cook duties, before outsourcing through catering facilities. The annual saving would be €1,661.
CENTRAL STATISTICS OFFICE
* Passenger card inquiry allowance:
Given to six tourism enumerators who are paid €12.64 on a weekly basis for handing out cards to travellers who fill them in and hand them back.
* Bus allowance: Given to six tourism enumerators who travel back and forth from airports for work. Allowance currently is worth a five-day Dublin Bus ticket valued at €22. Established in 1963.
* Travel allowance: Given to two part-time enumerators who live five miles or more from location. The current rate is €3.15 per journey.
DEFENCE
* Election gratuity allowance: For personnel connected with the presidential, local government, general elections, and referenda where they are paid €201.70 for that work.
* Civilian clothing allowance: Paid at a daily rate of €1.33 for personnel and officers where individuals have to wear civilian clothing.
* Entertainment allowance: Paid to cover out-of-pocket expenses while on overseas duty. There were only seven claims in 2011.
* Underwear and night attire for female personnel: Annual amount of €27.40 paid to female soldiers. Removes the need for army to stock specific clothing, with different bra and undergarment sizes for each female.
* Border duty: €96.23 for enlisted personnel, €111.97 for officers. Introduced in 1997 and paid to about 10% of serving personnel for work away from home during antisocial hours. It cost the State €4.4m overall in 2011.
EDUCATION
* Allowances to be cut relate to claims and expenses for uniforms, a shoe allowance, and a clothing allowance, among others.
* Teaching through Irish: €1,583, paid to 1,634 primary and 220 secondary teachers. It cost €2.9m in 2011.
* Stocktaking allowance: Paid to VEC staff who do an annual stocktake of equipment.
* Telephone allowance: Paid to general operatives toward cost of phone if needed to return to the workplace out-of-hours.
* July provision scheme preparatory: Paid to special school and class teachers to prepare summer programme for children with autism and pupils with learning difficulties.
* Allowance for principals who act as secretary to board of management postprimary: Paid since 2007 but not claimed by all principals. Can claim between €523 to €1,572: Total cost €455,000 in 2011.
IRISH MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
* Supervisor higher duty: Extra duties in exhibition department. Deal allows more than one person to deal with foreign galleries. Helps secure high-profile international exhibitions.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
* Dual duties: Paid for the carrying out of two roles or posts. Allows the employer to save costs and also meet health and safety rules. Ensures flexibility of work arrangements.
FOREIGN SERVICE
* Disturbance: Provided to those on duty abroad who handle out-of-hours queries helping citizens and families abroad. An allowance of about €633 per week is paid for being on call.
HSE
* Island inducement allowance: Paid to public health nurses working on the islands off the coast. Paid to 10 workers who rotate duties on the islands.
* Cardiac allowance: Paid to employees who have successfully completed a cardiac training course and can operate equipment. Set up in the 1980s when using a defibrillator was not a skill.
* Second opinion allowance: Payment of an allowance to consultant psychiatrist whose opinion is sought by another consultant psychiatrist in respect of the detention or discharge of a patient in their care.
SHANNON DEVELOPMENT
* Travel allowance: Refers to staff working in Shannon who reside outside Shannon dating back to the establishment of the company.
* Special allowance: Paid to compensate senior management team for additional responsibilities.
GARDA
* Clerical allowance: Paid for duties such as cash escorts, prison/van escorts, and court protection — meant to compensate for unsocial hours. About 280 members get this allowance.
* Gaeltacht allowance: Paid to members who serve in defined Gaeltacht areas and who have a certain level of Irish. It is based on 7.5% of salary and currently paid to 341 members.
* Promotion exam grant: Members receive this for passing an exam at inspector or sergeant level; 640 members received this in 2011.
* Transport allowance: Paid to the official driver of each official car, to garda and sergeant rank. During 2011, there were 2,254 members who received this.
* Bicycle allowance: Paid to members who must use a bicycle on duty. Seventy members received the payment of €2.77 per week.
PRISON SERVICE
* Industrial supervisor (kitchen and& bakery) duty allowance: Paid to those with technical skills in at least one training area, such as joinery, clothing or catering, who also have strong managerial abilities.
* Locking area allowance: Paid to staff who have expertise in electrical and mechanical lockings as well as welding.
* Plainclothes governor: Paid to those who must wear plainclothes during their duties. Any reduction will only save €130,000 annually.
* Other prison employee related allowances to be axed include allowances for tuck shops, court escorts, and acting as a clerk to a prison visiting committee as well as being a clerk to the sentence review committee.
OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS
* Committee allowance: Paid to staff who are secretaries to a committee. Paid on the back of a dispute some years ago.
STATE LABORATORY
* Meat allowance: Paid to 59 officers. Payment will be keep for 19 in supervisory roles and reduced or cut for the rest. The allowance is paid for beef carcass or meat inspection for those who have at least five years’ experience in area.
TAOISEACH
* Clothing allowance: Payable to certain officers working in the protocol and government press office to ensure they are appropriately dressed when accompanying the Taoiseach to functions.
ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY
* Bus allowance: Paid to three Dublin-based officers. A legacy payment relating to the driving test. Savings would amount to €1,760 per annum.
— Juno McEnroe
* Read more here
