merrion street

Reform Minister Brendan Howlin today welcomed the publication by the Implementation Body for the Croke Park Agreement of its Second Annual Progress Report.

Minister Howlin welcomed the publication saying:

Almost €900 million of sustainable pay and non-pay savings have been successfully delivered in the second year of the Croke Park Agreement. This means the Agreement has achieved almost €1.5 billion in pay and on pay savings in its first two years. We should not lose sight of the fact that the Croke Park Agreement has enabled these savings to be delivered in a climate of industrial peace across the public service.

The Body’s Report provides strong evidence that the public service is consistently doing ‘more with less’. Under redeployment provisions, thousands of staff are being moved within and across sectors to where they are needed most. Over 1,150 teachers primary and secondary teachers were redeployed in the last year, 4,500 staff were moved in the health sector and more than 1,000 Community Welfare Service staff and 750 Fás staff were redeployed into the Department of Social Protection.

New roster arrangements have been put in place for Gardaí and health sector workers which will help to maximise the resources available to the frontline.

Watch Minister Howlin's doorstep from Government Buildings earlier: