The Government has decided to implement a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme aimed at further reducing staff numbers in the public service.
However, it has not yet set a closing date or target for job cuts under the new scheme.
Public service numbers have already fallen from 320,000 in 2008 to 292,000 this year.
The government's current target would see the public service fall further to 282,500 by 2015.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said the government had agreed last July to "accelerate" its programme of staff reduction - and discussed the matter at cabinet today.
The targeted scheme will be aimed at areas where staff surpluses are identified - the work of identifying those surpluses is still underway.
Those who apply will receive the terms of the 2010 HSE redundancy scheme - which provided for 3 weeks per year of service plus two weeks statutory redundancy capped at a maximum of 2 years pay.
Those terms were agreed centrally with the Public Service Committee of ICTU.
There will be no automatic right to redundancy and all applications will be subject to ongoing business needs.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform added that all areas of the public service would be required to "robustly implement" redeployment arrangements set out in the Croke Park Agreement.
The Secretary of ICTU's Public Services Committee Tom Geraghty voiced surprise at today's announcement.
He said he had been aware that a targetted redundancy scheme was being considered but had not expected an announcement today.
