The coalition knows it is in a tight spot on public sector pay

The government has no choice but to hold the line that the Agreement is the only show in town

30/06/2016. Pictured are Members of the central executive committee of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) as they protest outside Leinster House to call on the government to honour the term of the Haddington Road agreement, which ends today Picture: Rollingnews

The dominoes are lined up, and the government knows that even the gentlest of nudges could set in motion a process of undermining its policy on public sector pay – and with it the authority of its already fragile rule.

The announcement by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) this week that their rank-and-file members would take the unprecedented step of withdrawing from service, was met with an equally hard line stance from government.