Government and social partners to begin talks

THIS afternoon the Government and social partners should finally begin intense negotiations on how to cut exchequer spending by €2 billion.

Unions and IBEC were last night presented with a framework document listing areas under which the Government wants to make savings. Those areas are thought to include taxation, public service savings, banking and the National Development Plan.

Unions last night indicated they had been successful in securing guarantees on a social solidarity pact which would see all sectors contributing to the savings in accordance with their ability to do so.