TK Whitaker, the man described by many as Ireland's greatest ever public servant has died at the age of 100.

As head of the Department of Finance in the early 1960s, he was credited with helping to modernise the Irish economy, after decades of decline.

He later served as governor of the Central Bank, and a member of Seanad Eireann.

In 2001 the public voted him Irishman of the 20th Century.

He celebrated his one hundreth birthday last month.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has led tributes to Mr Whitaker.

He said he had "a rare vision for our country", and was "in every sense a national treasure".

Mr Kenny described him as "both incomparable and irreplaceable" in modern Irish history.