Paschal Donohoe agrees to pay talks with public sector unions

The Government has backed down from a standoff with public sector unions by agreeing to talks on “anomalies” in the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe has agreed to begin negotiations with public sector representatives over the repercussions of the garda Labour Court recommendation. Siptu is deferring its planned industrial action ballot which was due to begin tomorrow after the talks were announced by Mr Donohoe.

Although the Government still maintains it will stand by the time-frame set out under the Lansdowne Road Agreement, it has now brokered a new “two-stage process” of talks.