30,000 people have already left the public sector since 2008, and the government wants to cut a further 4,000 by 2015.

Areas identified as having scope to generate surplus posts include health, agriculture and education.

If these plans are approved, it's envisaged that staff would be offered three weeks pay for each year of service on top of statutory redundancy, if they signed up to the scheme.

That's the same package that was offered to workers as part of the HSE redundancy scheme in 2010.

Meanwhile, negotiations are continuing for a new Croke Park agreement with the Taoiseach warning that the government will introduce legislation to force pay cuts on workers if unions fail to agree to cuts of €1bn under a new deal.