Public Sector Pay
Dail Éireann — 2021-04-21
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Michael McGrath (FF), Cork South-Central

As the Deputy has acknowledged, the successful candidate, Robert Watt, has waived the salary increase in light of the economic conditions that apply now. That is being done on a voluntary basis and I acknowledge the decision he has made which is appropriate in the circumstances we are all facing.
I will point out, as I did over the course of the hearing before the Oireachtas joint committee on finance, that only a short number of years ago, an openly advertised competition to recruit a CEO for the HSE, with a salary of €300,000 on offer, failed to attract a candidate who could be appointed. As we know, Mr. Paul Reid was subsequently appointed on a higher salary and he is doing a great job as CEO of the HSE. Over the course of the past Government, a bespoke salary was agreed for the appointment of the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris. He is of the highest calibre and is doing his job to an excellent standard.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2021-04-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:49:11+00:00
Sitting date: 2021-04-21