The Health Minister says there is some scope for pay rises in his sector but it is limited.

Ahead of the Government's Spring Statement next week, employers body IBEC has this morning increased its forecast for economic growth this year to 5.4% - up from its previous estimate of 4.8 percent at the end of last year.

It also says unemployment will fall below 9% in 2015.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar says the Government will have more money to spend in next year's budget and he is in favour of pay restoration in the public sector.

But he says expectations should be contained, because services need increased funding too:

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Minister Varadkar also discussed his ongoing efforts to introduce free GP care for the under-sixes. Over the weekend the National Association of General Practitioners urged doctors not to sign up for the scheme, stating, "this deal amounts to nothing more than medial apartheid".

You can listen back to the full interview below. He started by discussing the comments from the NAGP:

Originally posted at 6.47am