Cowen hoists white flag on Irish public sector pension reform;
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has hoisted the white flag on Irish public sector pension reform and has withdrawn proposals in the so-called Croke Park deal, that were agreed with the trade unions in March.
``Measures to reform the pension system may not be popular. However, they are absolutely necessary steps, because of ongoing trends in recent months to deepen the economic problems,'' said Joseph Daul, Chairperson of the European People's Party Group in the European Parliament, in an interview with FOCUS News Agency.