Junior minister told to apologise or quit over comments

A junior minister at the centre of a row with the civil service is being told to apologise or quit.

In comments over the weekend, Minister of State John McGuinness said there was now a culture in the civil service that destroys ambition and that workers are over-protected by unions.

The Civil and Public Service Union says its members are insulted.

At an emergency meeting of CPSU members this afternoon, a motion has been passed calling on Mr McGuinness to resign if he does not apologise.

A Government statement says his comments were of a personal nature and do not reflect Government policy.