Salaries for state jobs are uncompetitive, says union

The civil service is struggling to recruit staff in a number of key areas because salaries are not keeping pace with jobs in the private sector.

Public sector union Fórsa said State bodies are struggling to recruit, amongst others, cleaners, solicitors, meteorologists, radio officers, Oireachtas researchers and special education needs organisers.

At its civil service conference in Killarney, union official, Andy Pike, told reporters that civil service management should be given the flexibility to pay staff above the usual entry rates, where necessary, to attract suitably qualified staff: “The problem is starkest in professional and technical areas, but it’s not confined to these specialisms. Some civil service bodies have even struggled to hire cleaners in recent months.”