Rabbitte: No section of the public service can be exempt from cuts
It is expected a deal will be announced this morning on an extension to the Croke Park Agreement.
Talks have been ongoing for almost 24 hours at the Labour Relations Commission, after they continued through the night despite a walk-out by four of the unions involved.
Earlier this morning sources close to the talks indicated that work on a final text is underway.
Hopes of a deal were raised when Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin entered the talks shortly before 7am this morning.
His Cabinet colleague Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte, has said no section of the public service can be exempt from reform in a bid to make savings on the public service bill.
He said: "I can't see any circumstances where walking out would allow you to ring-fence yourself from making a contribution, so individual union executives and leaders made their decisions.
"But it would appear to me that no section of the public service can be exempt but that the principle of fairness ought to apply that those who can afford most can contribute most."
He told Newstalk’s Breakfast programme that high paid earners, Ministers and TDs should “lead by example” and take cuts to their pay.
He said the Government had taken cuts in the past but the media had not reported widely on it.
The Minister for Communications has also said he is confident a deal will be struck this morning.
Mr Rabbitte said: "The Government has set out to agree on a voluntary basis with the unions and their representatives the securing of the savings that we have targetted.
"It would look like that we can do that and I don't think that a headline this morning, while the talks are still finalising, about legislation would be helpful."
