The Public Expenditure Minister says there cannot be a "big bang" of pay cuts being reversed for all public sector workers in one go.

Brendan Howlin has told the Dáil that he wants a phased and structured approach to the reversal of the pay cuts which are due to last until July of next year.

He says he will open discussions with unions in the Spring after the first quarter exchequer returns are known, and he hopes to have an agreement before October's budget.

However Minister Howlin says public sector workers need to be realistic that they cannot have the pay cuts reversed too quickly: