Legislation to give effect to the Government levy on public service pensions was published today.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan is expected to bring the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009 before the Dáil later today.
Under the Bill, public servants earning over €20,000 will pay a 10 per cent levy on their salaries, while those earning less will be liable to pay the levy at a reduced rate.
Anyone earning up to €15,000 will pay a rate of 3 per cent, while those earning between €15,000 and €20,000 will pay 6 per cent.
All earnings, including allowances and overtime, will be subject to the levy.
The Bill also provides for the Minister for Health to make regulations to cut the rates of payments made by the State to health professionals for public health services; for a reduction in the early childcare payment and for deferral of certain payments to farmers.
The Minister for Finance will carry out a review of the legislation before June 30th 2010 and will consider whether any of its provisions continue to be necessary in light of overall economic circumstances.
The explanatory memorandum to the legislation says it is being introduced “in the context of the priority being given to the stabilisation of the public finances including the importance of achieving an adjustment of €2 billion in 2009”.
“The Bill provides that savings accruing from these measures will be remitted to the benefit of the Exchequer.”
Public servants will take part in a number of separate protests outside the Dail today at the introduction of the levy. A separate day of protest has been organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for next Saturday.