Average weekly earnings in the public sector - excluding health - rose by 8.2% in the year to June 2004, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.
The index of average earnings, which excludes some effects of changes in employment composition, rose by 7.9% for the same time.
The CSO figures reveal that a total of 243,700 people were employed in the public sector, excluding health, in June 2004. This compared to 240,900 the same time last year.
Employment in the health sector increased from 96,600 to 97,700 in the same period, the CSO added.
Overall employment in the public sector was 341,400 in June 2004, an increase of 3,000 compared with June 2003.
