THE GOVERNMENT HAS made a “new and significantly improved” pay offer to unions representing public sector workers, the Tánaiste said, as he dismissed scheduled strike action as being avoidable.

Unions are preparing for a second day of national strike action on Thursday 12 November in a bitter dispute with the government over a new pay agreement. Work-to-rule industrial action remains in operation.

Speaking in Cork this afternoon, Simon Harris said he doesn’t believe it’s inevitable this day of strike action will take place, telling reporters, “The government has made a new and significantly improved offer.”

He said he believes intensive engagement is needed “in the hours ahead” to try and avert a national day of strikes.

Talks are taking place today and Harris said he is encouraged by the cooperation.

“I would ask now that, against that backdrop and that context, that the work is now towards resolution and de-escalation.”

The upcoming national strike will coincide with the European Political Community summit in Dublin, a flagship event during Ireland’s EU presidency that will bring around 50 European leaders to the capital.

Strike action could affect the civil service work supporting the event, alongside disruption to schools, healthcare and other public services.

More than 300,000 public sector workers took part in a nationwide strike on 14 October. A further stoppage planned for 21 October was suspended to allow negotiations to happen.

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However, intensive talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ended without agreement last Friday, with the commission subsequently saying certain issues had reached an impasse.

The rejected government proposal provided for general pay increases totalling 6.75%, alongside a further 1% for local bargaining, bringing the headline package to 7.75% over two and a half years.

Additional reporting by Christina Finn in Cork