287. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an update on outstanding awards under the current public sector pay agreement; the total estimated value of pay increases agreed but not yet paid to public servants; the type of public servants impacted; and the reasons for delays in honouring these agreements. [49011/26]

The outgoing Public Service Agreement 2024 – 2026 provides for a structured avenue through which employers and trade unions or representative associations at local level can progress proposals to address changes in structures, work practices, or other conditions of service relevant to a given organisation or sector and its workers. This is called Local Bargaining.

This mechanism allows for a maximum of 3% of basic pay cost, inclusive of allowances in the nature of pay for relevant grades or groups, with the first phase falling under the last Agreement, payable from 1 September last. The remaining phase or phases are to be addressed under the framework of any successor public pay agreement.

The Local Bargaining process was designed for negotiations to take place at a local level, reflecting priorities of individual sectors. It falls to the respective Minister in each sector to negotiate with the relevant unions to settle any outstanding awards through the Local Bargaining mechanism.

It is a matter for the parties at local level to prioritise the issues to be addressed through Local Bargaining. Any associated changes to pay or conditions under the this provision depend on the submission and agreement of proposals between management and unions or staff representative associations at a local level. There is no automatic entitlement to pay adjustments in the absence of such a proposal.

I have responsibility for the Civil Service where the Local Bargaining process is close to finalisation, reflecting strong collaboration between management and staff representative bodies.

The following awards are known to be outstanding within the Civil Service:

• Within the Workplace Relations Commission under the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Adjudicators (at Assistant Principal level) have been awarded the Assistant Principal Higher Scale by the Civil Service Arbitration Board

• Within the Coastguard under the Department of Transport, certain coastguards have received an adjudication award for changes in vehicle usage by the Civil Service Adjudicator

• Within the Department of Social Protection, certain EO Inspectors have an adjudication award of an allowance in respect of their duties by the Civil Service Adjudicator

In line with the Public Service Agreement, these fall to be addressed as part of a future phase of the Local Bargaining process subject to agreement with the relevant Unions. The value of these awards is a matter for the relevant line department.

My Department does not maintain a list of the of outstanding awards in the wider public service as these would be matters for the relevant Minister in the first instance.

My officials have, and will continue to support the process, working closely with public service management to ensure that discussions proceed in line with the Agreement and that any issues arising are resolved where appropriate.