Our main political report this morning evokes the lyrics of the old song, She Was Poor But She Was Honest.
“It’s the same the whole world over, It’s the poor wot gets the blame, It’s the rich wot gets the pleasure, Isn’t it a blooming shame?”
The news that the most senior public servants are in line for a 15 per cent pay rise will not go down well with the public.
With prices skyrocketing and interest rates rising, many PAYE employees in the private sector have no prospect of experiencing a pay rise. Yet, the best paid public servants in the country with six-figure salaries are in line for pay rises of 10 per cent to 15 per cent from July 1st. They include judges, hospital consultants and senior officials in Government Departments and State agencies. It will benefit some 4,000 public servants earning over €150,000. On those salaries the pay rises will be worth a minimum of €10,000 annually — no small chunk of change.
As Pat Leahy, Jennifer Bray and Jack Horgan-Jones report, it is not technically a pay rise but the last phase of the unwinding of pay cuts imposed on public servants during the financial crisis. Unless emergency legislation is brought in it will go ahead at the beginning of next month.
As the report says, the Government is of the view that “restoration must now proceed and expect a fierce backlash”.
That might be an understatement. It will go down like a lead balloon, especially if this cohort also benefits from further pay rises negotiated by public service unions. A planned increase in the tax-free bonus for workers from €500 to €1,000, promised for the Budget by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar will cut little ice with those struggling to make ends meet.
Mica bill will eventually top well over €3 billion
The official bill of widespread use of defective materials such as mica in building blocks is now €2.7 billion but will eventually be much more than that, as the scheme is extended to new counties and building costs continue to escalate.
As Jennifer Bray reports, the scheme may take up to a decade to complete.
It’s a large issue in the affected counties — especially Donegal — and any TD who is seen not to fully support the affected homeowners will face certain defeat in the next election.
It’s not that they have been browbeaten. But it has become a huge emotive issue. Outside the affected areas, the well of sympathy is shallower. The bill is just enormous — could it end up costing the taxpayer €6 billion or more. Questions are being asked as to why the taxpayer is on the hook for the entire amount? What about the block manufacturers? What about insurance companies? Certainly lax building standards contributed to the scandal, but at 100 per cent?
Jennifer, who has tracked this story, writes of the impact inflation might have on this scheme: “The enhanced scheme was originally set to cost €2.2 billion when it was agreed by the Cabinet last November, but this has now risen to €2.7 billion. Last week, Ministers were presented with three scenarios of inflation which could mean the cost could balloon to €3.65 billion, meaning that high inflation could add up to €1.5 billion on to the final taxpayer bill in the worst-case scenario.”
Best reads
Miriam Lord writes about the late civil rights campaigner and Fine Gael TD, Austin Currie, for whom tributes were made in the Dáil yesterday. Former taoiseach Enda Kenny was among those who attended.
Bertie Ahern says the relations between British prime minister Boris Johnson and Taoiseach Micheál Martin are the worst between British and Irish leaders for 35 years.
Cormac McQuinn reports that Ministers for Arts and Media Catherine Martin has said it would be inappropriate for her to meet RTÉ to discuss the transgender controversy on Liveline.
Jennifer Bryan’s analysis on the costs of the mica scheme.
The New Electoral Commission will be able to act when misinformation is spread online during elections, reports Cormac McQuinn.
Playbook
10.00: Private Members’ Business (Independent Group): Motion re Respite Care Services
12.00: Leaders’ Questions
14:04: Statements on Insurance Reform
17.34: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022
18.04: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022 (Report and Final Stages)
19.34: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Committee and remaining Stages)
20.34: Weekly Divisions
21.04: Dáil adjourns
Seanad
10.00: Commencement Matters
12.45: Defence Forces (Evidence) Bill 2019
14.15:Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022
15.30: Statements on “Annual Transition Statements”
17.30: Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022
18.00: Motion regarding Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence
18.45: Private Members’ Business: Motion regarding Neurology Nurses (Independent Senators)
20.45: Seanad adjourns
Committees
9.30: Enterprise, Trade and Employment: European Work Councils and related Irish legislation.
9.30: Health: Improving the lives of those affected by rare diseases and their families. Engagement with Belgian former Minister and representatives from HSE
13.30: Select Committee on Transport and Communications: Committee Stage consideration of the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 with Eamon Ryan, Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications; and Transport
13.30: Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach: Engagement on public service Performance Report with official from Dept of Public Expenditure and Reform, Ms Caroline O’Loughlin
13.30: Comhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge ag caint ar an téama: ‘Ag Spreagadh Fhoilsitheoireacht agus Léitheoireacht na Gaeilge’. Le Réaltán Ní Leannáin Uasal, Scríbhneoir agus Mícheál Ó Laoghaire Uasal, Scríbhneoir
17.30: Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fixed Milk Price Contracts (resumed) with representatives from Ornua. At 19.00 a discussion on Ash Dieback and its impact on the Private Forestry Sector with representatives from Limerick Tipperary Woodland Owners Ltd.
17.30: Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Discussion on the review of Tax Expenditures: (R & D, Knowledge Box and Film Credit)
Officials from Department of Finance
Representatives from Office of the Revenue Commissioners
Officials from Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
