Statement by the Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, T.D., Positive Outcome to Discussions between Government and Public Service Unions

Public Service management and unions have reached agreement on a comprehensive agenda for Public Service transformation and on a framework for public service pay determination over the period to 2014.

The Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, T.D., has welcomed the positive conclusion to the intensive discussions between Public Service management and unions, which were facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission. He commented that "this agreement will provide confidence and stability in the Public Service to meet both current and future challenges and I hope that there will be a positive outcome to the ratification process. The negotiations were complex and both sides made very significant efforts to develop the terms of this agreement. It is my view that implementation of the measures in question would result in greater efficiency, better services for the citizen and more satisfactory working conditions for public servants".

"We now have an agreed shared vision for transformation in all sectors of the Public Service, and an agreed path on how it is to be achieved. This agreement will ensure that together we can create a Public Service of which we can be proud and a Public Service which we can afford."

The agreement covers a range of important transformation issues across all of the main sectors of the Public Service including Health, Education, Local Government, Justice, Defence, the Civil Service and State Agencies. It includes a joint mechanism to support implementation and it also addresses the issue of pay determination in the period to 2014.

The Taoiseach thanked Mr. Kieran Mulvey and Mr. Kevin Foley and their colleagues from the Labour Relations Commission, who acted as facilitators for the discussions, for their commendable work.

Ends