Kenny: Public pay talks to begin by mid-2017

Discussions on a fresh pay deal for public sector workers could begin by the middle of next year, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has indicated to the Dáil.

As efforts continued to avert a national strike by gardaí, Mr Kenny faced criticism for his Government only now trying to tackle the issue.

He said the dispute must be resolved within the terms of the Lansdowne Road agreement on public sector pay, which lasts until September 2018. He said he hoped garda representatives would listen “carefully” to the Labour Court, which yesterday held a special hearing on the dispute.