Siptu boss: Sides need space to formulate pay deal

Siptu chief Jack O’Connor has said both sides in the public service pay dispute have “painted themselves into corners” and appealed to each to give the other the space to find a “fair resolution”.

Mr O’Connor was speaking after a weekend in which it emerged the Government intends to legislate for pay cuts and freeze increments permanently if no deal is achieved within the next two weeks on cutting the public service wage bill by €300m this year and €1bn by 2015.

If no possibility of a deal emerges in the short term, it is likely the cuts will be introduced ahead of the original July 1 deadline.