Gormley urges Cowen to get tough with unions

Environment Minister John Gormley today warned the Taoiseach must take a tougher line in talks with unions as time ticks down to Wednesday’s Budget.

With the Government facing backbench opposition to plans for unpaid leave in the public service, the Green Party leader vowed the overall €4bn savings would have to be met.

Despite the breakthrough sabbatical proposal unions and Government negotiators remained locked in talks over how to find the required €1.3bn public pay cuts.

Mr Gormley said: “We are absolutely determined to reach the €4bn mark, we will do that because we have to have credibility.

“Let’s not overripe this issue.

“The negotiations are ongoing, there was concern expressed in all of the political parties in relation to these matters, you have to remember that we continue with these negotiations, we have to make significant savings.”

At a Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting several backbench TDs vented their opposition to the sabbatical plans over speculation the €1.3bn target could be dropped.

Although unions have deferred a second national strike, Taoiseach Brian Cowen cautioned no final deal had yet been agreed – a stance echoed by Tanaiste Mary Coughlan in the Dáil today.

Mr Gormley said the Government has to make sizeable savings to save face.

“We will have to reach over the billion mark if the government is to have credibility and I think the Government will emerge from this with credibility and we will make the €4bn in savings,” he said.

Meanwhile Irish Nurses Organisation chief Liam Doran lashed out at those critical of the unpaid leave proposal, urging then to keep their mouths shut.

But Fine Gael criticised the plans as inequitable and disruptive claiming they would take 250 million man hours out of the public service.

“This means fewer gardaí on the beat, fewer hospital appointments and less education for our kids.

“It will also mean an across-the-board pay cut for all public servants with school cleaners and clerical officers taking the same cut as public servants on six figure salaries.”

“Mr Doran’s ’Uno Duce, Uno Voce’ remark is totally out of order.”