merrion street

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform reported to Government on his discussions with the CEO of the Labour Relations Commission, Mr Kieran Mulvey, in relation to his ongoing talks with the trade unions.

The Government welcomed the progress made by Mr Mulvey and his team in recent days.

It remains the case that the Government’s preferred option is to arrive at an overarching collective agreement in the public services.

To that end Mr Mulvey has been asked to continue his discussions with those unions that have yet to reach an outline agreement. The Government emphasised that it is prepared to enter into agreement with individual trade unions in the absence of an overarching collective agreement.

As a contingency measure, given the tight timetable involved and pending the final decision of each trade union according to its own democratic mechanisms, officials of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will continue to prepare legislative measures in tandem with the Office of the Attorney General to achieve the required savings.