The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) is to recommend acceptance of the public sector pay proposals agreed last week.

The union said an online ballot of its 43,000 members will take place from Thursday 22 September to Wednesday 28 September.

The result will be announced shortly thereafter.

The pay proposals will see public sector workers receive an increase of 6.5% across this year and next year.

A 3% increase would be paid this year, backdated to February 2022. That would be followed by 2% from March 2023 and 1.5% or €750, whichever is the greater, from October 2023.

This is in addition to increases of up to 3% agreed under the existing public sector pay deal 'Building Momentum'.

"After prolonged and intensive negotiations, we finally have proposals we can recommend, which our key negotiators believe are the best available at this time," said INTO President John Driscoll.

"I am urging all INTO members to support this deal by voting yes in order to secure the salary increases that have been negotiated," he added.

Earlier, SIPTU, the country's largest trade union, said it was also recommending acceptance of the public sector pay proposals.

A secret ballot vote of SIPTU members in the public service and 'Section 38' agencies will be held from Monday 12 September to Wednesday 5 October.

SIPTU announced it was recommending acceptance of the deal following a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) earlier today.

In a statement, SIPTU said that the proposals were structured in a manner that is consistent with previous public service agreements which prioritised the position of lower and middle-income earners.

"The NEC also noted the position of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that economy-wide cost of living measures would accompany pay improvements," SIPTU said.

"These measures will be addressed in Budget 2023 and through the Labour Employer Economic Forum which is to meet in September 2022."

The union said if the proposals are accepted, it will extend the current Public Service Agreement until the end of December 2023 and that negotiations on an agreement for 2024 and beyond will likely take place during the Summer of 2023.

Last week, Fórsa, the country's largest public sector trade union, said it is recommending acceptance of the new public sector pay proposals.