SOCIAL WELFARE:ABOUT 22,000 social welfare recipients will face delays in receiving their cheques this week as a result of the current industrial action in the public service in protest at pay cuts.
The Department of Social and Family Affairs said yesterday that those affected would mainly be people claiming illness benefit.
A spokeswoman said a small number of people receiving job-seeker’s allowance would be hit. The department said the cheques would be delayed by one day.
It blamed the delay on the introduction of an overtime ban by members of the Civil Public and Services Union, which represents lower-paid staff.
The move comes as talks are continuing between Government officials and public service trade union leaders on pay determination and modernisation.
The parties yesterday held a plenary meeting to take stock of the state of play in sectoral talks which have been under way for the past week dealing with different parts of the public service.
Over recent days the talks have centred mainly on whether the parties are still committed to draft reform proposals drawn up originally as part of the failed talks between the Government and public sector unions before Christmas. Some informed sources said at following talks last night the talks on reforms in the Civil Service and State agencies were moving towards a consensus.
In the health sector Siptu has said that it never signed up to the transformation proposals which include the introduction of an 8.00am-8.00pm core day. The health sector talks are to recommence tomorrow.
Informed sources said that the parties were close to a document on reform in local authorities, although some sources said that unions were concerned about some agreements that had not been implemented locally.
If progress is made at further sectoral meetings over the coming days the parties are expected to move on to considering other controversial areas such as public service pensions and out-sourcing.
The highly contentious issue of pay is not likely to be addressed until close to the weekend.
Speaking yesterday the chairman of the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Peter McLoone said the aim was to conclude the current talks with the Government on pay determination and reform by next weekend.