“Kick off with the dirty work” is counsel often given to new brooms, and that means attacking costs in commercial enterprises and public services.

Update 4pm: Gardai might have to cut frontline services to cover the cost of a €40m pay deal agreed at the Labour Court last week.

Rank and file gardaí are set to demand the restoration of 22% of pay lost since the recession and the end to a two-tier system which saw new entrants to the force hit with even more swingeing cuts to wages and allowances.

The Dáil has been urged to support calls for gardaí to be allowed to strike for better pay, after claims some officers are living in “poverty” and need social welfare supports just to survive.

Gardaí are angry they are being treated the same as pen-pushing civil servants under new legislation which will lead to sick pay entitlements being cut.