The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Irish Dáil (Parliament) wants to investigate the proposed €292,000 ($A457,500) pay for the new Department of Health Secretary-General and the salaries of other senior public figures.
The public spending watchdog has made a formal submission outlining the grounds for its investigation, which will require Dáil approval before it can proceed.
The Committee said it wants to complete a “constructive examination of the processes and procedures” involved in deciding the salaries of the Department of Health role and other senior public sector positions.
They include the Garda (Police) Commissioner, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Financial Regulator, and the Chief Executives of the National Treasury Management Agency, the National Asset Management Agency and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
“The primary purpose of the examination is to report to Dáil Éireann on the processes and procedures that currently exist for the determination and review of senior executives’ remuneration in the Public Service,” the PAC said in its submission to the Dáil.
“We also seek to make recommendations as to how the current arrangements might be improved upon,” it said.
The PAC has also written to Minister for Public Expenditure, Michael McGrath, asking him to postpone the recruitment process for the Department of Health Secretary-General role while an investigation takes place.
Earlier, Mr McGrath appeared before the Finance Committee where he was questioned over the €91,000 ($A142.500) increase in the salary to €292,000 for the new Secretary-General at a time when student nurses were being refused pay rises.
The Minister was also asked to address the circumstances surrounding the decision to appoint the Secretary-General of his own Department, Robert Watt (pictured) to the Health role on an interim basis ahead of the recruitment process.
Mr McGrath said Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Micheál Martin asked Mr Watt to move Departments.
He also revealed Mr Watt, who is tipped to take the Health role on a full-time basis, was aware the salary would be increased before he took up the position.
Dublin, 5 February 2021
