Senior Irish Public Servants earning more than €150,000 ($A228,600) are set to get pay rises ranging from 10 to 15 per cent.
Those who are set to see a bump in their salaries include medical consultants, judges, and Chief Executives of State bodies.
Around 4,000 Government workers are affected.
Tanáiste (Deputy Prime Minister), Leo Varadkar (pictured) said the Government had looked at postponing the move, but legal advice instructed it should go ahead.
Those eligible had their pay cut through the Financial Emergency legislation which was introduced following the financial crash of 2008.
Salary rates up to €150,000, which account for 99 per cent of the Public Service, have been fully restored.
Under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act, salaries for those earning above €150,000 are due to be restored by 1 July.
However, the move has been described as “tone deaf” given that the Government had signalled it would not assist further with financial measures until the Budget.
There have been repeated calls for Cabinet to move again on the cost of living crisis as energy, fuel and food prices soar, crippling Irish households.
It is understood that the legal advice indicated Government had no basis not to proceed with the restoration and, as a result, it would have to take place in accordance with the law.
The pay restoration is to cost €30 million ($A45.7 million) for the remainder of this year.
Spokesperson for the left wing People Before Profit party, Paul Murphy said pay rises for already highly-paid Public Servants, whilst the Government refused to intervene in the cost of living crisis, was a slap in the face to ordinary workers who were seriously struggling.
Dublin, 24 June 2022
