Croke Park Agreement cannot be improved, warns Government

The Government has today reiterated that it believes the Croke Park Agreement is the best that can be negotiated for the public sector unions.

Cabinet discussed the issue at its weekly meeting this morning.

Eight union groups have so far recommend its members reject the proposal on pay and sectoral reform, with SIPTU the only large trade union group so far to recommend its members back the plan.

This afternoon, the Executive of the Irish Federation of University Teachers became the latest group to unanimously decide to recommend the rejection of the deal.

IFUT says while recognising there are some positives in the agreement, the offer of a blank cheque for the renegotiation of staff contracts is simply not acceptable.

The matter will be put to a full ballot of the union's members April 24.