IBEC confident that recovery plan will be agreed

The employers' body IBEC says it is confident that it can reach agreement with trade unions and the Government on an economic recovery plan.

The organisation is holding further talks with government officials today on ways to plug the massive deficit in the public finances.

IBEC has already angered the trade unions by calling for public-sector pay cuts, the introduction of inferior public-sector pension schemes and the deferral of the national wage agreement.

However, speaking ahead of today's talks, its director general, Turlough O'Sullivan, said he was confident that a deal would be reached because everybody wanted to overcome the current difficulties.