Many of them do not have the opportunity to recover this money in time. For many of them, the time is not on their side to get another income. We need to find a more formal way to ensure that retired civil servants, who have a lot to give, are properly involved. I recognize that the minister has met many times with representatives of the Alliance. Their role in conversations affecting their income and conditions must be formally acknowledged. As a result of these measures, the civil service wage bill has fallen dramatically, from more than €17 billion before the recession to €14 billion net in 2014. Apart from the impact on workers, this has also had an impact on the economy due to the loss of discretionary income and savings. Despite propaganda to the contrary, according to statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the level of remuneration of lower-paid civil servants in this country is in line with or below the average salary of citizens of other parts of Europe. In addition, OECD statistics published in December 2014 show that the size of the Irish public sector, which accounts for 18.4% of total employment, is not far from the average for all Member States. Official figures show that 45% of Irish civil servants earn less than €45,000 a year, compared to 68% who earn less than €50,000. This goes against the impression that the majority of civil servants are narrow, abhail and highly paid. I could be alone among the Members who are currently in the Chamber, given that I was in government buildings the night the pension levy was introduced in 2009.
There are many, including all the officials and officials who are working tonight, who will remember it…
Trackbacks for this post