Public sector unions have agreed in principle to a nationwide 24-hour strike on Tuesday, November 24th.
The decision is subject to a ballot of members in a number of unions.
Public sector unions discussed plans for the strike following talks with the Department of Finance on how to achieve €1.3 billion in cuts in the public sector pay bill.
On his way into the meeting this afternoon, the general secretary of the Civil Public and Services Union, Blair Horan, said if the Government insisted on pay cuts to reduce the public sector pay bill, it was impossible to see any basis for agreement.
He said the Government should go back to its position of last April and consider additional taxation to bridge the gap in the public finances.
The talks today between the department and public sector unions was the first engagement between the parties since the Government announced last week that it wanted to secure savings of €1.3 billion in the public sector pay bill.
Mr Horan said unions were prepared to consider all options bar pay cuts.
Liam Doran, general secretary of the Irish Nurses Organisation, said while public sector unions had different priorities and different time-scales in their ballots on industrial action, if necessary, they would all be prepared to act as one to protect their members.