Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2026
143. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of engagement with social welfare branch managers following the recent refusal by representative groups to accept the proposed increase in remuneration; if further negotiations are planned; the timeline for any such engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40431/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently has 55 Social Welfare Branch Offices at various locations around the country. Each Social Welfare Branch Office is operated and managed, under a commercial contract for service, by a Branch Manager. Branch managers are independent self-employed contractors who play an important role in supporting my Department in the delivery of services at local level.
In 2018, a new remuneration package and service delivery model were agreed with Branch Managers. Remuneration is now based on delivery of an agreed Intreo service level relating to information provision, use of all Department IT systems, and support to activation and control measures.
There are two Branch Manager representative groups, The Branch Manager’s Association (BMA) and Representative Group of Branch Managers (RGBM). Officials from my Department actively engage with the representative groups on all contractual and service delivery issues relating to the Branch Manager contracts.
As the Deputy is aware, in 2025 officials from my Department received and reviewed a request from the Branch Manager representative groups seeking a review of their overall remuneration agreement for Branch Managers. Any changes to the current remuneration arrangements resulting from this review could only be made in the context of the 2026 budgetary cycle and required discussion and agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
On 8th May, the Department notified the Branch Managers representative groups of the sanctioned increase and effective date and notifications of revised changes on contractors remuneration were communicated to each individual Branch Manager.
While the representative groups notified the Department that they were not willing to accept the sanctioned remuneration increase, officials from my Department will continue to facilitate discussions with both representative groups on an on-going basis.
