Government Incompetence Hits 58,000 Public Service Workers in Dublin

29th January, 2010

Figures released to Fine Gael Dublin Central Senator, Paschal Donohoe by the Department of Finance show that there are more than 47,000 public sector workers in Dublin City earning less than €30,000 per year, with that figure rising to a whopping 58,000 when the entire county is considered.

Fianna Fáil and the Greens imposed a 5% pay cut on public sector workers earning less than €30,000 in Budget 2010, while higher earners escaped such a wage reduction.

“It is abhorrent to think that those at the lower end of the pay scale are being forced to take the brunt of budgetary cuts when the people at the top are making modest contributions in comparison.

“The figures I received from Department of Finance show that as many as 47,218 public sector workers in Dublin City and 10,565 in Dublin County are earning less than €30,000 gross salary per annum – a staggering total of 57,783 workers on that pay grade throughout the county.

“The fact that the Government sees fit to impose a 5% pay cut on this sector at a time when those earning the on the highest pay grades are having their wage cuts reversed – a move which the Department attempted to stealthily slip under the radar during the Christmas break – is repugnant in the extreme.

“These figures show the unfairness of the recent Government decisions on salary reductions. Those earning less than €30,000 in the public sector did not make the mistakes that have caused the crisis in our national finances, yet they are the ones who are expected to shoulder the lion’s share of the burden. What’s more, this sector is in no way overpaid when compared to their colleagues in the private sector.

“Such callous cuts for people on this level of income are unwarranted and completely unjust. Forcing those on low and modest incomes to pay for gross mismanagement of the economy is the very essence of this Fianna Fáil-led Government. If this Government demonstrated courage and leadership in tackling waste and cutting out the fat of our bloated public sector theses cuts might not be needed at all.

“Fine Gael’s budgetary plan would have protected the vulnerable, focused on job creation as a means of dealing with the budgetary deficit and provided an exemption from any cuts for all public servants earning less that €30,000. Following the Budget, Fine Gael tabled an amendment to the legislation to deal with this cut to public sector pay which the Government rejected.”

Figures released to Fine Gael Dublin Central Senator, Paschal Donohoe by the Department of Finance show that there are more than 47,000 public sector workers in Dublin City earning less than €30,000 per year, with that figure rising to a whopping 58,000 when the entire county is considered.

Fianna Fáil and the Greens imposed a 5% pay cut on public sector workers earning less than €30,000 in Budget 2010, while higher earners escaped such a wage reduction.

“It is abhorrent to think that those at the lower end of the pay scale are being forced to take the brunt of budgetary cuts when the people at the top are making modest contributions in comparison.

“The figures I received from Department of Finance show that as many as 47,218 public sector workers in Dublin City and 10,565 in Dublin County are earning less than €30,000 gross salary per annum – a staggering total of 57,783 workers on that pay grade throughout the county.

“The fact that the Government sees fit to impose a 5% pay cut on this sector at a time when those earning the on the highest pay grades are having their wage cuts reversed – a move which the Department attempted to stealthily slip under the radar during the Christmas break – is repugnant in the extreme.

“These figures show the unfairness of the recent Government decisions on salary reductions. Those earning less than €30,000 in the public sector did not make the mistakes that have caused the crisis in our national finances, yet they are the ones who are expected to shoulder the lion’s share of the burden. What’s more, this sector is in no way overpaid when compared to their colleagues in the private sector.

“Such callous cuts for people on this level of income are unwarranted and completely unjust. Forcing those on low and modest incomes to pay for gross mismanagement of the economy is the very essence of this Fianna Fáil-led Government.”

“Fine Gael’s budgetary plan would have protected the vulnerable, focused on job creation as a means of dealing with the budgetary deficit and provided an exemption from any cuts for all public servants earning less that €30,000. Following the Budget, Fine Gael tabled an amendment to the legislation to deal with this cut to public sector pay which the Government rejected.”