Congress General Secretary David Begg has told EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso that current economic policies were 'stunting growth' in Ireland and damaging the country's recovery prospects.
He told the EU Commission President recovery in Ireland would be 'impossible' while "unemployment remained at record levels and the taxpayer was forced to foot the bill for failed private banks."
He said it was "imperative that measures are taken to stimulate domestic demand and create jobs, as has already been proposed by Congress."
Mr Begg met with the Commission President and László Andor - Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - as part of a high-level trade union delegation that was in Brussels to make the case for new measures to focus on growth and job creation, as part of a Social Compact for Europe.
The Social Compact is an initiative of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and has received the unanimous backing of all 36 European union federations affiliated to the ETUC. Mr Begg said there had been a "constructive and lengthy debate" between the two sides, on solutions to the current EU-wide crisis.
The high level delegation is comprised of union leaders from eight countries: Ireland, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Greece and the United Kingdom. It was headed by Bernadette Segol, the ETUC General Secretary.
The delegation also met with Mr Herman Van Rompuy, European Council President and Mr Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament.
