The Government has said it is willing to repeal emergency industrial relations legislation introduced during the financial crisis as part of ongoing public sector pay talks.
Negotiations with unions and staff associations began last week and are continuing at the Workplace Relations Commission.
A spokesperson for Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said that having considered the matter, he has committed to the repeal of Section 4 (2) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act (FEMPI) in the context of a comprehensive multi-annual public service pay agreement being reached and ratified.
"The Minister would encourage the parties to continue to proactively engage with the process with the expert assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission," the spokesperson said.
Public sector unions said in a statement that, on this basis the parties have agreed to continue talks with a further session planned for Thursday.
Unions believe the legislation has given the Department of Public Expenditure too much power when it comes to industrial disputes and has made it difficult for individual sectors and grades to have issues addressed outside of the scope of existing pay deals.
They had said that if the emergency legislation was not removed, they would focus on a short-term pay deal that addresses cost-of-living and labour market pressures.
The current public sector pay deal, Building Momentum, is due to expire at the end of the year.
If the talks are successful, it will mean a pay increase for 385,000 public servants including nurses, doctors, gardaí and teachers.
