Pay freeze plan would save €500m, says Kenny

FINE GAEL argues that its proposal to impose a 12-month freeze on public sector pay would save an extra €500 million, despite only extending the existing pay freeze by a month.

Party leader Enda Kenny yesterday accepted that an 11-month pay freeze already exists under the national pay deal and his proposal would only extend this for a month.

He said the policy, announced at his address at the Fine Gael conference in Wexford on Saturday night, would save €500m.