Talks continue in last effort to reach deal on public pay

The chairman of the Labour Relations Commission, Kieran Mulvey and unions are continuing talks today in a last ditch attempt to make savings of over €300m to the public sector pay bill.

A deal must be reached by tomorrow or else the Government may have to introduce legislation to cut public sector pay.

It was reported today that the Government may opt to reward the public-service unions that voted in favour of the Croke Park II deal, while implementing more stringent cuts on those that refused to co-operate.

But Wicklow TD Simon Harris was staying tight lipped on whether that proposal is on the table.

"What I absolutely favour is that €300m has to be found from the public sector pay bill," he said.

"And I think what you do is you try to reach agreement with as many people as you can - and it's my own personal view that if we can reach agreements with some unions then you proceed by agreement.

"We have to find €300m. We have do it in the fairest way possible from the public sector pay bill.

"In all cases possible… it's in the interests of the government (and) the economy, domestically and internationally, to do things by agreement.

"We don't need more Bus Éireann incidences."