Cabinet must factor in extra €250m for benchmarking

CABINET ministers will have to factor in almost an extra €250 million into their spending estimates for next year, now that the full cost of benchmarking has at last been established.

Next year the full cost of paying the benchmarking wage increases to public servants will be €775 million, according to revised figures from the Department of Finance.

As no substantial increases in public spending are expected next year, due to the economic downturn, ministers will have to pay the majority of the bill from within existing resources.