The government says its prepared to reach agreement with individual trade unions if there is no collective deal on Croke Park 2. The Public Expenditure and Reform Minister briefed the Cabinet this morning on the progress of the efforts to resume negotiations.

In a statement the government says it welcomes the significant progress the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) Chief Executive is making.

"It remains the case that the Government’s preferred option is to arrive at an overarching collective agreement in the public services" it says, but adds that the government "is prepared to enter into agreement with individual trade unions in the absence of an overarching collective agreement".

Legislation will continue 

However officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will continue drafting legislation as a contingency measure.

It says "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".

Kieran Mulvey has been allocated additional time to continue his discussions with unions who have yet to reach an outline agreement.

Speaking on his way into that Cabinet meeting this morning Minister Brendan Howlin said the savings must be made in a fair and balanced way.

"I know that different sectors have different views on what constitutes fairness, often it means impositions greater on other people than on themselves" he said.

"But objectively we need to be able to make these savings in as balanced a way as is possible; which means everybody will make a contribution according to their capacity to make a contribution" he added.