No progress on new national pay agreement

There has been no progress so far at talks on a new national agreement as unions and employers continue their meeting at Government Buildings tonight.

The indications are that it will continue late into the night.

The sides are negotiating through the Government secretary general and have not yet held face-to-face discussions.

Differences still remain around key issues of pay and the duration of any deal.

Speaking this evening during a brief break in the talks, Turlough O'Sullivan of employers’ body IBEC described the mood at the meeting as sober and difficult, and David Begg of ICTU said there was no progress to report so far.