Nothing can prevent an employer from paying the wage increase ‘on a voluntary and exceptional basis’
The national pay deal for Ireland agreed by employers, union and government in September 2008 could be suspended until January 2011 under proposals put forward by the government. The original deal provided for a 6 per cent increase in two phases of 3.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent over 21 months. But within weeks of the deal being signed, the economy experienced the full force of the global downturn, which sparked talks on a new social partnership deal or national recovery plan in January.
 
 

I will now be taking some time out with my family to consider my future options, but you can be sure my heart will always be a deep Cadbury purple    

Cadbury chief executive Todd Stitzer, announcing his resignation after the Kraft takeover