McCarthy: Bord Snip cuts unavoidable

The chairman of An Bord Snip Nua has said anyone who thinks widespread cutbacks can be avoided is out of touch with reality.

Colm McCarthy was speaking at a conference in Dublin today organised by the Institute of Public Administration.

Unions representing more than 100,000 public servants have announced plans for a campaign of opposition against Mr McCarthy's report, which recommends shedding more than 17,000 public-sector jobs and beginning a new benchmarking process that could include public-sector pay cuts.

The unions have described the report as flawed and detached from reality.

Mr McCarthy, however, insisted today that the Government could not continue to borrow massive sums of money for current spending, including public-sector pay.