Talks between union leaders and government officials aimed at averting a second public sector strike on Thursday have continued through the night at Government buildings.

Time is running out for both sides to reach agreement on how to reduce next year’s public sector pay bill by 1.3 billion euro.

A key sticking point in the talks is the union proposal that workers in the health sector take between 10 and 14 days unpaid leave next year.

Jack O’Connor of SIPTU says a working group of health sector leaders have been debating the plan all night at Government Buildings.