Joan Burton warns people should be able to live on a week's wages

The former Tánaiste has warned that people have to be able to live on a week's wages.

Labour's Joan Burton wants the Taoiseach to start talks on increases for public sector pay.

That's despite the fact that the Lansdowne Road Agreement, designed to restore salaries, is only 4 months old.

Deputy Burton explained where she thinks the extra money could come from: "By actually an economy that functions and does well and by fairness so people when they get a week's wages, they are actually able to live on it and they are not doing what was done during the Celtic Tiger, is that some sections took far more of their section of the cake."

Meanwhile members of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will meet today to discuss their next moves.

The body represents 300,000 public sector workers who are calling for a restoration of their pay.

UNITE's Richie Browne says they have two key demands: "We're looking for an early renegotiation of the Lansdowne road agreement.

"We believe in order for those talks to take place in the correct atmosphere, the Government can do two things in advance of those talks.

"Give a commitment on equal work for equal pay, we are not saying that that can be achieved overnight, but they could give a commitment on that.

"The other thing they could do is to give a commitment around the Croke park hours."