Sides agree to talks in public sector crisis

BREAKTHROUGH talks between the Government and union leaders last night saw hopes of averting a wave of major strike action across schools and hospitals rise significantly.

Both sides agreed to set up negotiations on bringing in widescale reform of the public service overseen by two independent experts tasked with hammering out a lasting deal.

Top level discussions, which saw the Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and Green leader John Gormley, sit down with Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) chiefs, ended with an agreement to put all contentious issues – including the swingeing cuts in public sector pay – up for consideration with fresh talks beginning today.