Bruton blasts public sector savings proposals

Fine Gael has blasted the Government's apparent capitulation on the issue of public sector pay, with savings looking set to be achieved through enforcement of unpaid leave rather than cuts to civil servants' salaries.

Union leaders are proposing that public sector workers will take at least 12 days unpaid leave next year while continuing to work towards long-term reform. Strike action planned for tomorrow has been called off while the sides continue to hammer out the details at Government Buildings.