Fine Gael will this week force a vote in the Dail on Fianna Fáil and the Greens reduction in the pay cuts for senior civil servants, Deputy Leader & Finance Spokesman Richard Bruton TD said today (Sunday).
 
Deputy Bruton said his Party would be using its Private Members' Time to call for senior civil servants to be treated identically to lower earners and for the Government to reverse its ridiculous u-turn on the issue.
 
“The Government’s decision to reduce the level of pay cuts at senior grades, on the basis that a separate bonus scheme was suspended some time ago, is underhand, unjustified and must be reversed.
 
“Pay cuts graded according to ability to pay was a key feature of the Budget and, in fact, the Finance Minister agreed to implement recommendations of the Review Group in full at Budget time. The Minister accepted the recommended cuts of 8% and 12% for higher earners and the Government’s subsequent attempt to slip through lower cuts just won’t fly.
 
“To begin with, bonuses should not be considered as part of basic pay. The Review Group have time and gain insisted, bonuses should only be issued for exceptional performance and cannot be expected to be paid out on annual basis. The pay for those in the upper echelons of the civil service has in no way suffered. They have enjoyed the same increases as those on lower grades. Their pay has not been suppressed.
 
“There is also an issue of basic fairness. Under the Government’s new plan, the after tax reduction for higher earners will be 1.5% while their colleagues earning one quarter of that level of salary will see a 5% cut.
 
“This Wednesday Fine Gael will put it up to the Government and use our Private Members’ Time to insist that higher earners are treated the same as everyone else in the civil service. Government Deputies will be given the opportunity to vote with Fine Gael or to vote down the Motion and allow pay cuts for lower earners to exceed that of their higher paid colleagues.”