Harney says backdating redundancy never agreed

Tanaiste, Mary Harney, has insisted she never made any promise to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions that increased redundancy payments included in the 'Sustaining Progress' deal would be backdated.

Speaking in the Dáil today, Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte attacked Ms Harney because there was no mention of backdated payments in the Redundancy Payments Bill published yesterday.