‘Public sector pay is biggest challenge for Dáil’

Any attempts to restore public workers’ pay to pre-recession levels risks dragging the country “back to the bad old days”, a junior minister has warned.

OPW Minister Seán Canney said increasing calls for public sector pay rises are the biggest challenge facing the Government.

After an autumn dominated by gardaí, teachers and nurses pay-related strike threats and, speaking days after Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed public pension levels will be put under scrutiny as part of the public pay commission’s work early next year, Mr Canney said giving in to calls to speed up the restoration of pre-crash pay rates is not an option.