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Key Appointments under Building Momentum, 2021 - 2022

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, T.D., today (Thursday) welcomed the establishment of the body as agreed by the parties to the Agreement to examine issues arising in addressing the additional working hours as provided for in the new public service agreement Building Momentum 2021-2022.

The establishment of an independent body to examine additional working hours for public servants is a key commitment in the public service agreement, Building Momentum 2021-2022. 

The Body which will be chaired by Mr. Kieran Mulvey, former Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission, will examine the issues arising in addressing the additional working hours for public servants provided for by the Haddington Road Agreement.

The Body is tasked in accordance with the Agreement with bringing forward recommendations by end 2021. The Agreement also provides for two key governance structures charged with dealing with problems, issues of interpretation and major disputes - the Public Service Agreement Group (PSAG) and the Tripartite Implementation Body (TIB). The Government has appointed Mr Kevin Duffy, former Chair of the Labour Court, as chair of these bodies. Minister McGrath commented: "The independent body to examine the additional working hours for public servants arising from the Haddington Road agreement is an important part of the new public service pay agreement and I am delighted that someone of the calibre and experience of Mr. Kieran Mulvey has agreed to Chair the body. I look forward to seeing the outcome of the body's work in the period ahead. "The PSAG and TIB bodies have a crucial role to play in ensuring the smooth implementation of this agreement and to deal with matters of strategic or national importance regarding the implementation and interpretation of the agreement. I have no doubt Mr. Kevin Duffy will be a very effective Chairperson of both these bodies and I would like to thank him for agreeing to serve."

 

ENDS

 

Note to Editors1. The establishment of an independent body to examine the additional working hours is a key commitment made in the public service agreement, Building Momentum 2021-2022. The Agreement provides that the Body reports its recommendations by the end of this year. A fund of €150m will be available to cover any operational costs that will arise as a result of the recommendations during the lifetime of the Agreement.

  1. Membership of the Body:
  • (Chair) - Kieran Mulvey (Former Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission)
  • David Denny (Retired civil servant)
  • Anne Tynan (Retired civil servant)
  • Liam Doran (Former General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation)
  • Peter McLoone (former General Secretary of IMPACT)
  • Margaret Considine (President of the Mediators' Institute of Ireland, CEO and Founder of EQuita Consulting Ltd.)
  • Jenny Smyth (Senior Client Partner, with Korn Ferry)
  1. Terms of Reference

Section 4 of the Agreement provides for an independent body to be established to assess issues arising in addressing additional working hours for public servants and will make appropriate recommendations to be applied equitably across all affected grades, groups, categories and sectors. The body will consider, and fully take into account, submissions made by the parties to this Agreement and will be tasked to report by end 2021. As part of the deliberative process, the body, will consider: 

 

  • The context for the pay and productivity measures within the Haddington Road Agreement 2013 - 2016.
  • The quantification and verification of the additional hours worked by the Haddington Road Agreement grade, group and sector.
  • Any associated costs with reference to possible replacement mechanisms, e.g. rostering changes, productivity measures, recruitment, overtime/premia payments, agency staffing.
  • The operational, service delivery and administrative implications associated with any reduction in hourly work requirements, including the proportion of hours that support direct service delivery compared with those that provide indirect services.
  • The manner in which additional hours contributed to more standardised public service terms and conditions.
  • The varying application of the additional hours provision of the Haddington Road Agreement.
  • Relevant overtime divisors.
  1. Public Service Agreement Group (PSAG) and the Tripartite Implementation Body (TIB)

Section 5.3.1 and 5.4.1 of Building Momentum provide for an independent Chair to be appointed to the PSAG and the TIB by Government.

Section 5.3.1. provides for a Public Service Agreement Group (PSAG) which will comprise equal numbers of employee representatives nominated by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions; representatives of public service employers nominated by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  All staff representative associations and unions will have equal access to the PSAG and will be afforded full opportunity to represent their members where a dispute arises. The Group will work to address any anomalies or issues of interpretation that may arise under the Agreement. Section 5.4.1. of the Agreement provides for the establishment of the Tripartite Implementation Body (TIB) to consist of one employer representative (Sec Gen D/PER); one employee representative (Head of ICTU) and an independent Chair appointed by Government. The TIB will be responsible only for matters of strategic or national importance regarding the implementation of the Agreement.

The Government has appointed Mr Kevin Duffy, former Chair of the Labour Court, as chair of these bodies.

Contact:Claire Godkin - Press Officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform - 085 806 3969