€1.2 billion for public sector pay deal

The Budget has allocated €1.2 billion to address pay issues within the public sector. This funding will cover all aspects of the previous public service agreement, which concluded at the end of June, as well as any future pay agreement set for 2027. The Department of Public Expenditure stated that this financial support includes the costs associated with potential pension impacts.

Workers within the public sector have been participating in work-to-rule measures and are set to stage strikes on October 14th and 21st. Unions have criticized the government for not offering sufficient pay commitments since the last agreement ended. During his Budget speech, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers acknowledged the ongoing industrial action and emphasized the need to avoid further disruptions.

He highlighted that substantial provisions have been made in the current budget package to support public service pay, underscoring the government's commitment to resolving these issues.

Chambers called on the Irish Consolidated TUC (ICTU) and other unions to promptly resume negotiations and cease the ongoing industrial action. Additionally, the minister announced adjustments to the minimum wage, which will result in a 5% income increase for a single person earning €26,000 annually due to the higher minimum wage rate.