THE GOVERNMENT is willing to listen to ideas on resolving problems in the economy, Taoiseach Brian Cowen told union representatives yesterday as part of the latest round of social partnership talks.
Emerging from Government Buildings after the meeting, which lasted about 2½ hours, Jerry Shanahan, national officer of trade union Unite, said the Government side had outlined the "financial position" as they saw it.
"The situation is very serious. I think it's the most serious I have seen it in a long number of years in terms of income versus expenditure. There is a significant deficit and it was very much a discussion about how we can become involved, what ideas we have and how we can assist in bringing forward solutions," he told The Irish Times.
The discussion did not get into specific detail: "No, not at this stage. It was very much a discussion about the significance and the depth of the crisis.
"The trade unions obviously have a view of how best that could be tackled. We think there is a need for State intervention obviously."
He said staff numbers in the public sector were not discussed.
