Angry unions have accused the Government of crashing social partnership and torching the wreckage with savage budget cuts.

Around 600 public sector workers protested outside the Dail as TDs inside the Chamber prepared to slash their wages by up to 15%.

Sheila Nunan, of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), said public servants rejected being scapegoated in the budget.

"This government had a social partnership vehicle," she said. "It crashed it by ending talks with the unions and the budget provisions torched the wreckage."

Ms Nunan told the crowd the government had sacrificed its own workforce to protect the wealthy, privileged and powerful. She warned December 9 was a day that will live on in infamy.

Ms Nunan said enormous efforts had been made to divide the working men and women of the public and private sector and called on all workers to resist this false divide.

"As long as ordinary workers tear each other apart, those with power, privilege and plenty will laugh all the way to their bank," she added.

Dublin-based teachers, nurses, firemen and civil servants carried banners from Mandate, INTO PSEU and Impact as they demonstrated over savage cuts in last week's budgets.

Impact also accused Finance Minister Brian Lenihan of applying flawed logic to the public sector pay dispute. "The approach taken in the private sector to reducing payroll costs is more varied, employers do not favour the blunt instrument of across the board pay cuts," Impact deputy general secretary Shay Cody said. "This Government has abandoned that approach, favouring the political short term goal of hanging onto their seats instead.

"Sadly, it demonstrates the poverty of imagination that has framed the latest budget, and these figures serve as an interesting contrast to the Government's approach."