The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has indicated that some pay and pension cuts in the public sector will be reversed as the public finances improve. 

Brendan Howlin says talks will begin with public sector unions next year - but it's not clear when exactly such measures might come in. 

Pay cuts averaging at 6.5%- as well as a pension levy averaging 7.5%- were imposed on public sector workers during the height of the economic crisis. 

The union Impact has welcomed today's announcement.

Spokesperson Bernard Harbour said: “Very substantial cuts in incomes have occurred, obviously that’s happened in other parts of the economy too.  So it’s good that we’re talking about pay recovery. It’ s a signal the economy is moving in the right direction and I think it’s a signal people can look forward to having an improvement in their income, an improvement in their standards of living after half a decade of cuts.”