Cowen: No wish to inflict more public service cuts

THE Government has “no desire” to inflict further pay cuts on public servants but trade unions will have to engage in talks to find other ways of making savings, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said.

His comments were seen as a softening of the Government’s stance in a bid to bring the unions back to the negotiation table.

Relations between the Government and unions collapsed after the Cabinet pushed through the public service pay cut in December.