Gardaí, judges and other public servants who get full pensions with shorter service may have to pay higher pension contributions in future, according to senior figures in public service trade unions.
Sources said that the move may come as part of negotiations for an extension of the Lansdowne Road Public Service Pay Agreement which are due to get underway within the next fortnight.
They also noted that groups such as nurses are unlikely to succeed in their demands for pay rises - over and above any general public service pay deal - to combat recruitment and retention issues in their sectors.
On pensions, the trade union sources said the priority would be to retain retirement income, and acknowledged that they might have to concede additional pension contributions to fund those benefits - probably by converting the existing pension levy into higher pension contributions.
As a result, they could end up with three different categories of public servants for pension purposes.
Around 25,000 public servants including gardaí, Defence Forces Officers and judges currently qualify for what is known as "fast accrual", which means they can retire after fewer years on full pensions.
However, they only pay the same contributions as other workers who have to complete 40 years to get a full pension.
It is believed those 25,000 could face a higher contribution.
In the case of gardaí, this would reduce some of the gains they secured in their €50 million special pay deal late last year.
Others recruited before 2013 to the standard "legacy" scheme would see the existing pension levy consolidated into a higher contribution rate.
However, post-2013 recruits could see a significant reduction in their pension contributions, as their new scheme is less generous and less costly.
Sources note that as most of those post-2013 recruits would be on the controversial lower pay scales introduced during the crisis, this would boost their net income and go some way towards addressing the two-tier pay structure which has been slated by unions.
On pay, the senior union figures expect the Government will want pay increases pushed out beyond 2018 - as the State's finances are forecast to be particularly tight next year.
However the sources stressed that unions have to sell any deal to their members, and it would not be possible to have zero increases in 2018.
On the recruitment and retention challenges, the union sources said there were "pockets" where retention was an issue such as the military, helicopter pilots, doctors, nurses and therapy grades.
They estimated that a process would be established so that issues of recruitment and retention could be examined in depth - but that immediate pay top ups to groups were unlikely.
The sources also warned that the Government was unlikely to concede the abolition of the 15 million additional unpaid hours imposed during the crisis.
They said this was a "red line" issue for management, but was also a huge issue for unions, particularly women.
The Government is expected to issue a formal invitation to talks next week with talks getting underway in the week of 22 May. It is hoped they will end in early June to allow for union ballots.
The sources acknowledged the talks could pose a dilemma for the ASTI teachers' union - as it would be difficult for them to negotiate an extension to the Lansdowne Road Agreement when they had never accepted it in the first place.
They said there was no way that the Government was going to give ASTI members arrears even if they did eventually accept the LRA.
Sources note that as most of those post-2013 recruits would be on the controversial lower pay scales introduced during the crisis, this would boost their net income and go some way towards addressing the two-tier pay structure which has been slated by unions.
On pay, the senior union figures expect the Government will want pay increases pushed out beyond 2018 - as the State's finances are forecast to be particularly tight next year.
However the sources stressed that unions have to sell any deal to their members, and it would not be possible to have zero increases in 2018.
On the recruitment and retention challenges, the union sources said there were "pockets" where retention was an issue such as the military, helicopter pilots, doctors, nurses and therapy grades.
They estimated that a process would be established so that issues of recruitment and retention could be examined in depth - but that immediate pay top ups to groups were unlikely.
The sources also warned that the Government was unlikely to concede the abolition of the 15 million additional unpaid hours imposed during the crisis.
They said this was a "red line" issue for management, but was also a huge issue for unions, particularly women.
The Government is expected to issue a formal invitation to talks next week with talks getting underway in the week of 22 May. It is hoped they will end in early June to allow for union ballots.
The sources acknowledged the talks could pose a dilemma for the ASTI teachers' union - as it would be difficult for them to negotiate an extension to the Lansdowne Road Agreement when they had never accepted it in the first place.
They said there was no way that the Government was going to give ASTI members arrears even if they did eventually accept the LRA.
