The formal establishment of the public service benchmarking body as agreed under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) was announced yesterday. It will examine the pay of public service employees as it compares to the private sector and will report by June 30th, 2002.

The members of the body are: former general secretary of SIPTU Mr Billy Attley, outgoing IBEC director general Mr John Dunne, former president of ICTU and general secretary of IMPACT Mr Phil Flynn, management consultant Ms Maureen Lynott, former secretary general of the Department of Finance Mr Paddy Mullarkey, and Davy Stockbrokers chief economist Mr Jim O'Leary.