The Labour Relations Commission has been given until next week to try and negotiate some kind of settlement with unions over the extension to the Croke Park public service pay agreement.

It comes after the chief executive of the LRC Kieran Mulvey met the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform last night to ask for more time to engage with unions, especially those who rejected the deal three weeks ago.

Minister Brendan Howlin granted an extension, but said discussions with unions must finish in time for a full report to be brought to Cabinet next Tuesday.

The IMPACT trade union, one of the few who voted in favour of Croke Park, will be debating the deal at a series of conferences in Portlaoise over the next two days.

IMPACT spokesperson Niall Shanahan said his members won't accept any changes to the deal that would leave them worse off: