There are claims that tens of thousands of retired public servants could die without ever getting access to their full pensions.

TK Whitaker, a former public servant and economist, has died aged 100.

The Minister for Public Expenditure will not comment on reports that public servants could have to pay more for their pensions in future.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has said it would cost €2.2bn a year to eliminate lower pay rates for new public servants.

The new public service pay agreement has delivered on the Government’s vow to ensure pay restoration from the bottom up, with hikes ranging from 7% for a worker earning €30,000 to just 1% for someone earning €100,000.