New figures from CSO show wages in the public sector are rising more than twice as fast as wages in industry and that the average public servant now earns 43% more than the average industrial wage.
The average wage in the public sector grew by 9.3% in the year to last September - that is almost four times the rate of inflation during the same period. It is also more than twice as fast as wages in industry which rose by just 4.5% during that time.
The figures, which were published today by the Central Statistics Office today, show that public service wages now average €41,700 a year. This compares with €29,200 in industry.
Prison officers are the highest earners in the public sector, averaging €56,750 a year or €1,091 a week. However, this includes typical overtime payments of €274 a week.
Prison officers' overtime has been cut by 23% since December 2000 when it averaged €358 per week.
According to the figures, Gardai typically earn about €95 a week in overtime.
Including overtime payments, average salaries in the Garda Siochana are the second highest in the public sector at €53,815 or €1,035 a week. That is 29% more than the average public servant and 84% more than the average industrial wage.
The large increase in public service wages in the year to last September partly reflects increases in pay recommended by the Governments Benchmarking body.
A fresh round of public service pay recommendations is expected from the Benchmarking body later this year.
