Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin has said that a deal will not be reached with the social partners at any cost.
Her comments come amid increasing signs that the Government and the Social Partners may be unable to conclude an agreement on dealing with the economic challenges facing the country.
The Minister told RTÉ's The Week in Politics Programme that over the last number of days there has been a ‘kind of a general understanding’ that both sides want the same thing for the country.
She said this involves getting people back to work, protecting those in jobs and making sure that public money is being spent properly.
The Government and the social partners are still working their way through issues around pensions, the public sector and the general finances of the country, the Minister said.
