Four Irish unions walk out of key public service pay talks

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Four unions representing Irish public sector workers walked out of negotiations on Sunday to revise a public sector deal that has kept the industrial peace, dealing a blow to government efforts to generate one billion euros $1.3 billion (860.7 million pounds) in savings on a bloated pay bill.

The government started a new round of talks with unions last month to revise the so-called Croke Park deal that has helped implement tax hikes and spending cuts under an EU-IMF bailout without significant social upheaval.