The payment of 1.4 billion euro worth of increments to public sector workers over the past six years is being defended.
Figures released by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and reported on by the Sunday Independent, show that over 11 thousand civil servants will receive increases under the increments scheme at a cost of 16.5 million euro this year.
But the former General Secretary of the Civil Public and Services Union, Blair Horan says an increment freeze would only be a temporary solution.
And he says such a move would hit lower paid public servants hardest:
