Harris urges unions to engage on pay offer in good faith

Updated / Monday, 9 Nov 2026 09:46

The Táinaiste Simon Harris has urged unions to engage with the revised public sector pay offer "in good faith".

Over the weekend the Government made what it described as a "substantially improved" pay offer, which is understood will deliver pay increases of 10.5% in an agreement that would run until the early months of 2029.

Trade unions and Government representatives will continue engagement today with an independent group, in a bid to find a pathway to talks on the ongoing pay dispute.

Speaking at a Eurogroup meeting in Brussels this morning, Mr Harris said there are a crucial few hours ahead surrounding the public sector pay talks.

"The work is all about trying to find a landing zone and de-escalation. The Government has made a substantially revised and improved offer, and I would now respectfully ask that unions engage with that offer in good faith," he said.

Mr Harris said that major European events will be held on Thursday, the same day of planned strikes, and said that nobody wants to see more disruption.

"There are also the very practical micro events: the parents needing to send their child to school, the person looking for the hospital appointment, the citizen looking to access a public service.

"I know that many of our public servants, the overwhelming majority I'm sure, would rather be providing those public services on Thursday and seeing wages actually increase in line with this Government's offer as well.

"So I'm really asking that everybody intensively engage in what is now a very small but crucial window to try and de-escalate the situation."

When asked if the proposed deal would be off the table should strikes go ahead on Thursday, Mr Harris said he did not want to say anything that is provocative or escalatory.

"I'm asking others to de-escalate, but what I would say is the Government has made a significant move by any fair objective. It's a significantly improved offer from the perspective of the unions and their members," he said.

Harris: Government has 'moved in a significant way'

Mr Harris noted that when unions sought and secured an overwhelming mandate for industrial action, no formal offers had yet been made. He said the situation had since changed significantly.

"There hadn't been formal offers and perhaps there hadn't even been formal substantive talks [at that time].

"We're in a very, very different space now and I'd very respectfully make the point that when you have a Government ... that was able to cut tax on your pay only a couple of weeks ago that will take effect from January and is now in a position of wanting to increase your pay as well that people would try and respond in the spirit that that is put forward."

Mr Harris admitted there are limitations to what any Government can do, but insisted the current Government has "moved in a significant way".

"I'd really hope that that's now reflected in the talks today," he said.

"There needs to be more effort put in today to try and find a resolution than plan a strike."