Union chief defends pay increments for higher-paid public servants

The General Secretary of the Public Services Executive Union has today defended a decision to sanction pay increments to more than 3,000 public-sector workers who earn an annual salary of more than €70,000.

Tom Geraghty, who is also a member of the implementation body of the Croke Park deal, said that the agreement is working and that the country cannot afford to scrap it.

The latest review of the Croke Park deal on public-sector pay and conditions shows that €1.5bn in savings have been secured since 2010.

But the Government has warned that further savings are needed.

There are suggestions that higher earners should have their pay frozen while the country's economy recovers.

"What the agreement is, is an agreement whereby the Government undertakes that they will not attack the pay of public servants, in return for which public servants co-operate with the changes that are necessary to put this country back on a successful fiscal course," said Mr Geraghty.