Fewer staff in health, but more in education

As the Government seeks to wipe €1bn off the public service pay bill, the latest figures show that while the number of staff employed in the health service has fallen by 8,100 in the last year, those employed in education has increased by 5,100.

The Central Statistics Office’s latest report on earnings and labour costs shows that there were 383,500 people employed in the public service, including the semi-state sector, in the first quarter of 2013. That was down from 388,500 in the first quarter of 2012.

All sectors of the public service showed declines in numbers apart from education and defence — though the increase in defence was only by 100 people.