Government vows to get tough on public sector wage bill

THE Government has squared up to unions by vowing to cut the overtime and allowances of public sector workers and demanding the Croke Park Agreement deliver more.

Existing workers will be hit by plans to slash €150m over two years from the €1 billion bill for overtime, allowance and premium pay. And any new nurses, doctors, teachers, gardaí and other public workers will not be entitled to the same allowances as those already employed.

Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore confirmed that the cabinet has agreed that savings should be made in the areas as part of a plan to cut €2.5bn off the wage bill between now and 2015.