The Government has signalled it will abolish the two-tier public service pay structure which has seen thousands of recently recruited gardaí, teachers and civil servants earn less than longer-serving colleagues.

The Government, according to highly placed sources, will effectively reverse cuts to allowances introduced for new personnel after 2012 in return for co-operation on productivity initiatives and a commitment to work within public service agreements such as the Lansdowne Road accord.

In a move which would undoubtedly establish a precedent, a new deal for firefighters working for local authorities would see those recruited since 2012 in effect regain a €4,500 rent allowance which was scrapped at that time. About 90 firefighters are expected to benefit.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin and Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly yesterday announced agreement in principle for a revised salary scale for full-time firefighters in local authorities.

Measures

The Ministers said that contingent on the achievement of “specific measures” in talks between unions and management, a new incremental salary scale would be developed for the entire full-time firefighter grade.

Mr Howlin and Mr Kelly said this would address the current difference in pay for firefighters recruited since 2012.

“The implementation of the revised salary arrangement will be the subject of consultations between management and union sides in the context of continuous progress being made through the reform process.”

Highly placed sources said the initiative would see the previous rent allowance being incorporated into a new salary scale.

Wasteful

The initiative could have enormous implications for teachers and gardaí – whose representative organisations have complained bitterly about low pay for recently recruited personnel.

Garda bodies, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers Union of Ireland have all rejected the Lansdowne Road agreement on public service pay which was negotiated last year.

Meanwhile, the ASTI will today begin balloting on a proposal to cease working additional hours agreed under the Croke Park pay deal. The additional 33 hours of non-teaching time are widely despised within the profession and regarded by many as wasteful.