Chambers backs proposed public service pay deal

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers has welcomed a proposed public service pay agreement reached at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The draft will now go to Government for approval, while unions and staff associations will ballot their members.

The proposed Strengthening Public Services agreement would run for 33 months, from 1 July 2026 to 31 March 2029, at a total cost of €5.2 billion spread across five budgets.

It provides for pay increases of 10.75% over the period, comprising general increases of 9.75% and a 1% provision for the next phase of local bargaining. The measures are weighted towards lower-paid staff: those on the lowest incomes would receive up to 18.3%, including local bargaining, while the minimum cumulative increase would be 11.3%.

The local bargaining payment, equivalent to 1% of basic pay, would be implemented from 1 March 2029. It is intended to give employers and groups of public servants a way to address issues involving changes to structures, work practices or other conditions of service.

Chambers said the proposal balanced investment in public services with pay that was fair and affordable. He described it as fiscally sustainable and consistent with the Government’s medium-term fiscal and expenditure plan.

The agreement also commits to continued reform and modernisation, including digital transformation and greater flexibility in service delivery. The minister said it would support infrastructure and other national priorities while providing value for taxpayers.

Chambers thanked officials, management representatives, unions and staff associations for their work, as well as the WRC and the Government-appointed group chaired by Kevin Foley. He said he hoped members would endorse the proposals, supporting stability in public service industrial relations.