Report on ‘privileged’ civil servants inaccurate, says Burton

Tánaiste Joan Burton has said a report stating there is a perception many public servants worked in privileged employment was inaccurate and out of date.

The Labour leader played down a report that found civil servants were afraid to say where they worked because of notions that they are privileged. She said such a notion dates from the early years of the economic crash.

The report by Senator Marie Louise O’ Donnell found evidence of anxiety among civil servants due to debt, reduced health benefits and no foreseeable promotion prospects, with many questioning the value of the work they do.

“I think a lot of that perception goes back to when the crash happened and when public servants were being identified as part of the reason the economy went into difficulty and in particular, people in very senior positions,” she said.

“People took big decreases in salary as well as the tax increases that everybody else experienced. But to be perfectly honest we have moved away from that time now – I think the fears described in that report belong a little to that difficult period we have moved out of.”

Jobseekers

Ms Burton paid tribute to those working in the Department of Social Protection, many of whom, she said "are not paid particularly well" but who provide a very good service to people such as happens in the Intreo Centres which act as one-stop shops for jobseekers.

“ The staff working in these new Intreo Centres will provide a personalised employment advice, guidance and support service which is targeted to the individual needs of the social welfare customer,” said Ms Burton.

The Tánaiste was speaking in Cork city where she opened two Department of Social Protection Intreo Centres at George's Quay and Hanover Street.