STATEMENT:THE TRADE union Siptu last night withdrew an article in its online newsletter stating that the talks between Fine Gael and Labour on the formation of a new government had "stalled".
A spokesman for the union said the article was inaccurate and had been based on a misunderstanding of media reports.
The original article in the Liberty Onlinenewsletter, which was issued early yesterday afternoon, said: "Serious differences have emerged between the Labour Party and Fine Gael in their efforts to form a new government.
“Talks between the two parties stalled on Thursday [March 3rd] over key differences on economic and other issues.”
A Labour Party spokesman said: “The story is not accurate. I don’t know on what basis they came to that conclusion.” He had e-mailed Siptu earlier informing the union it was incorrect.
Fine Gael also denied the talks had stalled.
During the election campaign Siptu president Jack O’Connor said a single-party Fine Gael government would be “a recipe for disaster”.
He said the best option for the country would be “a balanced government”, which he defined as a Labour-Fine Gael administration.
The original article in Liberty Onlinewas replaced by Siptu at about 5pm by a piece stating that as efforts continued between the Labour Party and Fine Gael to agree a programme for government, Mr O'Connor had insisted that growth must replace austerity as the key strategy for any new administration.
“The austerity programme of the outgoing government has not worked. A growth strategy based on investment for jobs is the only way forward.
“That is the key issue but there are others, including the protection of public services and those who depend on them.”