Ireland: Public sector unions accept pay and jobs deal

Public sector unions signed up in June 2010 to an agreement with the Irish Government, whereby there will be no compulsory redundancies or further pay cuts until 2014, in return for cooperation with reform and modernisation of public services.

In 2009, in the face of deteriorating public finances exacerbated by the economic downturn, the Irish Government failed to pay public services workers the wage increases due as part of a national agreement reached in September 2008.