The Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) says it has received a large number of submissions from unions on the issue of civil and public service recruitment and retention issues. These include submissions from Fórsa on problems in the civil service and among health and social care professionals.

 

At a recent meeting with unions and officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the PSPC said it had now sought submissions from public service employers. It has also commissioned independent research.

 

The Commission says it is not contemplating oral presentations at this stage, but it may seek clarification of aspects of the submissions it has received.

 

Last November, the PSPC issued a written statement setting out its approach to the work. It aims to report on issues relating to nursing, consultants and junior doctors by the end of June 2018, and to report on other staff groups outlined in its initial report by the end of this year.

 

In a related development, the finance minister ruled out the introduction of Dublin allowances when he spoke to the Oireachtas finance committee last week. Paschal Donohoe told the committee that staff retention was a bigger problem than recruitment, particularly in the capital.

 

Read the PSPC statement of approach here.