Coalition faithful want new Croke Park deal

A MAJORITY of councillors from the Government parties favour an overhaul of the Croke Park agreement covering public sector pay, a survey has indicated.

A combined two-thirds of the Fine Gael and Labour councillors who responded said they supported changes to the deal, as well as a stop to increments being paid to public sector workers.

The junior minister overseeing public service reform, Brian Hayes, last night said the results were not surprising, as people wanted results. However, he signalled the issue of stopping pay increments was off the agenda until next year.

The survey of 529 city and county councillors, of which 317 were Fine Gael or Labour, shows a desire for change. In all, 65% (206) of the government party councillors said the deal should be “renegotiated”, 27% (86) want to keep the deal the way it is and 8% (25) want it scrapped.

The payout of an annual €250 million in bonuses or increments to public sector workers should also be stopped, a majority of respondents said.

More than two-thirds (212) of Fine Gael and Labour representatives who responded were against paying increments in 2012.

Whereas most Fine Gael respondents said the deal should be renegotiated and increments not paid, only about one-third of Labour councillors agreed.

While 76% (186) of Fine Gael respondents said the deal should be renegotiated, just over one-third (25) of replying Labour councillors agreed so.

The survey was conducted for Fine Gael senator Catherine Noone, who said: “I think there is an appetite for the deal to be reviewed, especially when it comes to higher earners. However, I think any talk of re-negotiation should also take account of the major reforms already being undertaken by the Government.”

Siptu leader Jack O’Connor told the Irish Examiner last night that public representatives were just reacting to cuts in services around them and that any reduction in increments would be an attack on the lower paid.

“I’m actually surprised one-third [of councillors] are happy with it as it is, given the degree of misinformation that has been put into the public domain by those who are dedicated to dismantling it. We do have to address the challenge of presenting public representatives and the public generally with good information on what’s happening.”

A cut or freezing of increments would be “a disproportionate assault on people who are lower paid in the public services”.

The survey showed that 56% (119) of opposition councillors who responded wanted Croke Park renegotiated and 58% (123) did not want 2012 increments paid out. The survey was carried out last week, with 529 of 884 members responding.

Mr Hayes said: “I’m not surprised because people want to see results. I’d like to see what councillors mean when they say ‘change’. I believe we can get these people [in the deal] over the line. I’m optimistic about this.

“It’s too early to come to a definitive view on increments. The majority of them relate to lower grades. We will be looking at them again. But we have done this year’s estimates. What we can or cannot afford will be factored into next year.”

Croke Park will be reviewed this year and examined by the Government alongside its own spending review plans, by June at the latest.

Several ministers recently hinted that public pay scales may be examined if agreed efficiencies to services under the deal are not achieved.