‘Surprise’ as public sector salary rise outstrips private

Economists have expressed “surprise” that, in spite of the drive to cut the State’s pay bill, public sector wages rose more than private sector pay over the past year.

The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show earnings in the public sector rose 1.3% in the year to Q2 2013, while those in the private sector increased by just 1%.

“The composition of the rise in nominal wages is surprising,” said David McNamara of Davy Research.