Ahern hails new social partnership deal

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern tonight welcomed the new Social Partnership Agreement.

The new deal was agreed after five months of tough negotiations between the Government, employers, unions and the voluntary sector.

Mr Ahern said the agreement provided an important framework for meeting the economic and social challenges ahead.

The deal, provisionally entitled, “Toward 2016” provides a 10-year framework to plan social and infrastructural developments.

Key elements of the social agenda include linking the lowest social welfare payment to 30% of average industrial earnings and providing 27,000 additional social housing units within three years, 500 primary healthcare teams to alleviate pressure on A&E units and a family carer strategy.

Employers and unions have already agreed a national pay agreement delivering wage increases of 10% over 27 months.

They have also finalised a series of new measures to deter rogue employers from abusing or exploiting workers. These include increased penalties for non-compliance with employment laws including prison terms and fines.

Noting that a great deal of time and effort had gone into reaching agreement, he said this underlined “both the importance of the issues under discussion and the importance attached by all sides to maintaining our system of social partnership”.

He commended the negotiators on all sides for the commitment and leadership they had brought to the task and said that the end result showed that it had been worth the effort.

Mr Ahern said he believed the proposals represent the best terms that could be achieved, striking a fair balance between the need to secure the living standards of those at work, and the pressures of the enterprise sector of the economy.

The Taoiseach also said “a new social partnership agreement is not just about pay, it is also about maintaining a supportive environment in order to enhance productivity, competitiveness and build a stronger society”.

Put simply it is about improving people’s lives, he said.

The Taoiseach noted that the final agreement would now be subject to ratification over the coming weeks, in line with the internal procedures within each social partner pillar and organisation.

He expressed the hope that all concerned would recognise the benefits of the new agreement both for themselves and for the country as a whole and give it “a fair wind” in the course of the ratification process.

Talks in relation to the farming sector have not yet concluded and are expected to continue over the coming days.