The Government has “set a course to fail spectacularly” on its commitments on job security, the gender pay gap, and in-work poverty, the country’s largest public sector union claims.

Ahead of this afternoon’s announcement of the Government’s spring statement, public service unions have been setting out their stall as to what they want for their members from a rejuvenated state bank balance.

A century ago, many ladies could hardly breath, what with those terrible tight corsets, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has said he does not envisage reducing the costs of water for households anymore despite demands from Siptu.

The Government has extended, by a year, the deadline before which public servants must retire if they want to receive a pension based on the terms and conditions they had prior to the introduction of emergency financial legislation.

Peter Clinch, one-time advisor to former taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has been appointed chair of the National Competitiveness Council.

Pay recovery across all sectors of the Irish economy is vital if the Government is to achieve its target of full employment by 2018, according to public sector trade union Impact

We are, it seems, on the very cusp of indulging in the kind of self-destructive behaviour and delusion that helped write the script — partially at least — for our economic collapse.

The Government has announced an end to the long-running moratorium on recruitment in the public sector with posts to be created in the civil service next year.

The leader of one of the country’s largest public sector unions has claimed the next phase of growth in the Irish economy will not happen unless there are pay rises in all sectors of the workforce.

Minister Brendan Howlin and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have rejected criticism concerning their handling of a bid by the four Garda representative bodies to be excluded from changes to public sector workers sick pay entitlements.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin made a sudden U-turn to include gardaí with other public servants in new sick leave regulations after a senior trade union official threatened to ballot their members, the High Court has heard.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has told a trade union conference rising wages are "the sign of a healthy economy" and, while creating and maintaining employment remains the Labour Party’s top priority, "we should look forward to seeing wages rise and living standards improve".

The leader of one of the country’s largest public service unions has said public servants may seek the restoration of their pay rates through a reduction in the pension levy rather than a rise in gross wages.

Siptu, the country’s largest public sector union, has recommended its members to accept the Haddington Road Agreement, but the two of the main teaching unions have rejected the deal.

Siptu chief Jack O’Connor has said both sides in the public service pay dispute have “painted themselves into corners” and appealed to each to give the other the space to find a “fair resolution”.

The Government has asked Kieran Mulvey, the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission, to meet with the public service union leaders to see if the Croke Park 2 proposals, so firmly rejected in the recent round of ballots by the union membership, can be revived.

One of the country’s most senior public service trade union leaders has cast doubt on the Labour Relations Commission’s ability to engineer agreement between unions and the Government on how to cut the State’s wage bill by €1bn by 2015.

If the overall Ictu ballot is a yes, members that voted against Croke Park II must decide if they will fight on, writes Stephen Rogers.

I would like to correct Eddie Hobbs, who was on Prime Time last week debating with Shay Cody of Impact.

Representatives of rank-and-file gardaí will decide on Monday how to escalate their ongoing protest against the Government’s proposed cuts to their wage packets.

Frontline workers tonight vowed to step up their campaign against the €1bn state pay deal.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has claimed frontline public servants earning €35,000 will lose 8% of their pay as a result of the Croke Park II proposals — but no other public servants earning less than €80,000 will lose nearly as much.

SIPTU leader Jack O’Connor posed a pertinent question just a couple of hours before the framework for Croke Park II became public.

Public sector workers face being forced to accept a €1bn savings plan after the Government warned it needed majority backing from trade unions.

There is unlikely to be a Croke Park II deal in the public service unless staff agree to work longer hours, a senior trade union leader has warned.

The education and health sectors of the public service must, between them, yield almost three quarters of the total €1bn in savings required under Croke Park II over the next three years.

After two days of negotiation, talks on Croke Park II are already in difficulty, with the country’s largest union claiming a meeting later this week will decide if unions walk away.

Both the Government and unions have key priorities for Croke Park II, writes Stephen Rogers

Talks in relation to public sector cuts under are to get underway next Monday.

Trade union leaders have told public sector workers to brace themselves for payroll cuts and “substantial” work practice changes under Croke Park II because staff reductions will not be enough to meet the Government’s demand for €1bn in savings.

A battle to keep Coillte in public ownership has stepped up a gear as a cross-section of interest groups called on the Government not to sell the asset.

Trade union leaders have described as "positive" a meeting with the government to discuss new savings under the terms of the Croke Park deal.

A Government’s move to renegotiate the Croke Park deal remained mired in confusion last night.

Up to 300,000 public servants are to see both their certified and uncertified sick leave entitlement halved thanks to a binding recommendation from the Labour Court.

The Board of Aer Lingus has today urged shareholders in the airline not to accept Ryanair's share purchase offer.

Minister for Public Sector Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin is today warning that a lot more will need to be done to reach the Croke Park Agreement targets.

“Substantial” savings will be verified when the body charged with implementing the Croke Park agreement makes its second annual report next month, the leader of one of the country’s largest public sector unions has forecast.

These are not good days for those who argue that high standards of accountability and professionalism are the norm in the public sector.

Public service management want to cut the cost of sick leave by 5% or €25m by the end of the year.

The Labour Court has told TCD to re-employ three staff who were let go last year, because under the Croke Park Agreement there should be no compulsory redundancies in the public service.

The Vita Cortex workers have vowed to continue their sit-in despite threats of legal action.

As the cost of the public service comes under increasing scrutiny, the reforms brought by the Croke Park Agreement may not be enough. The groups involved must work quickly or they will have to consider alternative methods to improve the sector, writes Kyran FitzGerald

THE new head of the Department of Public Expenditure said the public service would be a good deal smaller and that difficult decisions lay ahead for projects, payrolls and state agencies.