Civil servants welcome talk of pay restoration ahead of conference

The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants is welcoming suggestions of pay restoration for the sector.

The body will meet today for its annual delegate conference ahead of talks with unions and the Public Expenditure Minister next week.

Reports suggest that up to €300 million is being set aside by the Government to meet the cost of restoring cuts.

"From my perspective we're looking forward to discussions on the pay which are going to commence next week," said Ciaran Rohan, General Secretary of the AHCPS.

"It's good to be talking about potential pay increases as distinct from three separate pay cuts over the last eight years."

He said that the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts, which gave effect to public pay cuts, should be reversed as a "first step".

"There's no longer a financial emergency, so the first step is to unwind that legislation."