New public sector pay offer is ‘very, very fair’ – Taoiseach

The improved pay offer to public sector unions is “very, very fair”, the Taoiseach has said, as trade unions and Government representatives continue discussions to resolve the ongoing pay dispute.

Micheál Martin said the offer on the table “meets all the criteria” that were flagged in earlier talks to resolve the issues.

Talks involving public sector unions, Government and an appointed mediator continued on Monday.

Mr Martin said the meeting today is in respect of “clarifications”.

Pressure is mounting on the negotiations ahead of the nationwide public sector strike on Thursday, coinciding with the key event of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Around 50 heads of state will be in Dublin for the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, which will see the largest security operation in the history of the country.

Speaking at the at the official opening of the Dromineer Water Sports Facility at Lough Derg, Co Tipperary, Mr Martin said the offer is a “very substantially improved offer”.

“It meets all the criteria that was identified earlier on in respect of the needs of a resolution of the issues,” Mr Martin said.

“The Government wants a national pay agreement.

“We have expanded the public service over the last number of years.

“We want to be in a position in the future to have a sustainable budget that would enable us to continue to recruit teachers, nurses and special needs assistants and many more public service Gardaí.

“To be able to do that you do have to have a sustainable budget and there is always a balance between day services and future development.

“It’s a very, very fair offer.

“I believe there are further meetings today in respect of clarifications and I don’t want to say anything further to allow those discussions to take place.

“I genuinely believe there is a basis for and I don’t want to put times on it because it is a fluid situation and engagement continues.

“We agreed to set up an overseeing panel, in the context of these talks.

“Out of that dynamic an offer has emerged, which we believe meets all of the criteria and in our view, particularly for lower paid workers, it’s a very substantial offer.”

Tánaiste Simon Harris said the ongoing talks should be about trying to find a “landing zone” and “de-escalation”.

Speaking at Eurogroup meetings in Brussels on Monday morning, Mr Harris said that no one wants to see more disruption on Thursday.

“The Government has made a substantially revised and improved offer and I would respectfully ask that unions engage with that offer in good faith,” Mr Harris said.

“Nobody wants to see more disruption on Thursday.

“People talk about all of the major European events that will be held in Ireland on Thursday, that’s true but there is also the micro-events – the parents needing to send their child to school, the person looking for the hospital appointment, the citizen wanting to access to public service.

“I know that many of our public servants, the overwhelming majority would rather be providing those public services and seeing wages actually increase in line with this Government’s offer.

“So really asking that everybody intensively engage in what is a very small but crucial window to try and de-escalate this situation.”

A rank-and-file Garda work-to-rule action is also planned in the days around the event in a dispute over working conditions.

This action will also cover the informal EU Council meeting on Friday.