Benchmarking increases could cost €1 billion

THE Public Service Benchmarking Body has begun hearing claims on pay increases from unions in an exercise which could hike the annual public service wage bill by up to €1 billion by 2010.

Since its appointment by Finance Minister Brian Cowen in January, the group chaired by senior counsel Dan O’Keeffe has received written submissions from unions representing up to 70 grades of public servants.

Oral hearings began yesterday for the first groups and will continue until late November.