Siptu will announce the result of its ballot on the controversial pay deal by the middle of the week. The union's 200,000 members are widely expected to back the deal after union president, Jack O'Connor recommended they vote in favour.

Siptu controls 77 of the total 400 delegate votes in Ictu and its support is seen as critical in getting the deal passed at the Ictu special conference early next month, which will ultimately decide on Towards 2016.

Also, the electrical union, Teeu, which has 27 votes, is expected to reverse previous practice and support the deal this week.

Last week, the largest public-service union, Impact . . .

with 32 votes . . . strongly backed the deal.

Together with the national teachers' union, INTO, which has 21 votes, and the financial services union, Amicus, which has 21 votes, these five unions alone have almost enough of the 200-plus votes needed to get the deal through next month.