Donohoe ‘willing to engage’ on unions’ demand that last of post-crash measures be scrapped

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has said he is willing to engage with unions on their demand that the last of the emergency measures brought in after the financial crash be scrapped as part of talks on a new public-sector pay deal.

Public-sector unions said on Friday that a new multiyear agreement on pay would be possible only if the Government removed the remaining elements of the emergency measures.

At a meeting of 19 unions it was agreed to seek clarification from Mr Donohoe on whether he is willing to dispose of the remaining parts of the legislation.

The unions argued that the financial emergency measures in the public interest (Fempi) legislation, introduced after the 2008 financial crisis, gives the Department of Public Expenditure the final say on any deals negotiated with local authorities, departments or other public-sector employers in relation to issues outside of the national agreement.

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The unions say a substantial number of these issues have built up over recent years.

Mr Donohoe was asked at a press conference on Saturday if he was open to removing the remnants of the Fempi legislation as part of striking a multiannual pay deal.

[ Are Fine Gael all out of fight ahead of a year that could define the party? ]

He welcomed what he described as the public-sector unions recognition “of the value of a new wage agreement and in particular their recognition that a collective agreement, covering of all of our public servants, has great value at the moment”.

Mr Donohoe said: “They’ve raised a number of issues about the remaining pieces of Fempi legislation and I am willing to engage on that as part of the normal process that we have with regard to the future of public pay.”

He said the “appropriate way of doing that is inside the Workplace Relations Commission”.

Mr Donohoe added: “I will engage with them, I’ll hear in detail their views in relation to those last parts of the Fempi legislation and look forward to doing that inside the WRC.”

He said the Government remained willing and available to start those talks in the coming days.

Mr Donohoe said no date had been set yet but added: “I think it is important we get the discussions under way.

“I anticipate the are going to be tough discussions and it will take some time to get an outcome to them.

“But I’m committed to doing that.

“I believe wage agreements of this nature has served the taxpayer and our public services well and our public servants well and we are now approaching the final months of [the current pay deal] Building Momentum.”

Mr Donohoe was speaking at a special Fine Gael conference in Maynooth. Co Kildare.

About 700 Fine Gael members have gathered for the conference which is to have “an emphasis on delivering for rural Ireland” and strengthening the party organisation.