The country's largest trade union is threatening to ballot its members for industrial action unless the Government agrees to a new round of talks on public pay.

SIPTU has given the government a one week ultimatum to agree.

The Union which represents 60,000 public service workers wants the pay talks to be convened as early as February of next year.

Speaking at the union’s Public Administration and Community Division biennial conference today, Jack O’Connor said:

 “We utterly reject the assertion that there is no money and that it is a choice between pay increases and services for the public.  This is an absolutely false dichotomy."

The Union says the problem is that once a group embarks on a solo run, everyone else will have to follow.

It says the available resources are absorbed in settling individual disputes so there is nothing left for anyone else. 

As a result SIPTU is calling for an early date for talks to renegotiate the Lansdowne Road Agreement. 

 SIPTU's Head of Communications is Frank Connolly.  He spoke to Susan Keogh.