Sir, – In “What are the taxpayers getting for public sector pay rises?” (David McWilliams, Opinion & Analysis, January 27th), you equate a gross increase in public sector pay since 2016 of 59.3 per cent to a pay increase of that amount, and then argue that this pay increase is “more than three times faster than inflation” which was 21.1 per cent during that period.
Maybe I’m missing something, but have you forgotten to factor in the increase in the number of public servants recruited over that period to serve the increasing population and provide additional services? If one includes that increase in staff numbers, what was the actual average pay increase? – Yours, etc,
ADRIAN CONWAY,
Kilcloon,
Co Meath.
Sir, – You conflate a 73.4 per cent increase in public sector pay costs over 10 years with pay increases and compare that to cumulative inflation of 21 per cent over the same period. You fail to mention that public sector numbers have increased from 293,000 to 385,000 over the same period, an increase of 31 per cent. Thus pay has increased by 42.4 per cent, a considerable portion of which relates to restoration of pay cuts in the preceding years.
It should also be noted that most of this pay award will be taxed at higher rates with social insurance and pension levies applied, so the net cost will be considerably less than the headline figure. – Yours, etc,
SEAN RYAN,
Castleconnell,
Co Limerick.
Sir, – It is no secret that trade unions seek to cover inflation and to share in economic growth in national pay negotiations. Where did you get last year’s “73.4 per cent pay increase” from? You single out inflation in health and education but as prices there largely reflect the small, but growing privatised sector, you are missing your target, the public sector.
You have a point on productivity. In responses to questions on training in the civil service, from Ged Nash TD to every Government department last year, all departments gave disappointing answers on the level of training in the service. Training policy is passive and appears to be undirected, ie not strategic, from the centre.
Far more resources should be put into management and personal training in the Civil Service.
Further, the outsourcing of strategy and the planning of major initiatives to multinational consulting firms by the top management, instead of utilising in-house skills, is undermining the service. – Yours, etc,
PAUL SWEENEY,
(Former Chief Economist,
Irish Congress of Trade Unions),
Milltown,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – There are many business that can only dream of giving this level of increase to their employees, and if they did I would argue that the ability to pass this on to their customer base would be highly questionable. These are unsustainable increases and once again the public sector comes away with a good deal that ultimately must be paid for by the taxpayer. – Yours, etc,
PAUL KEENAN,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.