New proposals reached on Croke Park II after overnight talks

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has said a new set of proposals has been reached between public sector unions and the Government on the Croke Park 2 agreement.

Talks continued through the night at the Labour Relations Commission with health sector and teachers unions.

Minister Brendan Howlin said that a new document is being distributed to all unions this morning and some unions will have to ballot their members again.

The head of the LRC Kieran Mulvey will brief the minister in the next few minutes before a full report goes to Cabinet.

Minister Howlin said that he hopes the figure for savings this year will be as close to €300m as possible.

"I understand at this point that either by now or very shortly all public sector unions will have a document to bring back to their own executives," he said.

"Some have agreed that they don't need to ballot again and have accepted it others will have to go back to their own executives and members for endorsement

"But I think very significant progress has been made."

However the head of the LRC Kieran Mulvey said that although progress has been, there are still some difficulties for health sector unions.

"There is some progress but there is negotiations still going on with the health sector," he said.

"But in most other union groups and sectors documents have been issed to the respective unions for their consideration."