One third of teachers earn at least €60,000

More than a third of all primary and post-primary teachers in the country earn an annual salary in excess of €60,000.

Figures published by the Department of Education also show that 115 teachers in secondary schools are paid over €100,000. No teacher at primary level earns over €90,000 per annum.

The information was provided by the Education Minister, Richard Bruton, in response to a parliamentary question by Fine Gael TD, Brendan Griffin.

The figures show that, in general, primary teachers are on lower wage rates than their post-primary colleagues.

Over 18,000 of almost 52,000 teachers at primary and secondary level receive salaries over €60,000.

However, 40.2% of all teachers in secondary schools earn this figure compared to 32% of primary level teachers.

In contrast, only 9.5% of second-level teachers earn less than €40,000 as opposed to 13% of their primary counterparts.

Some 6,000 teachers have an annual salary of less than €40,000 with fewer than 50 teaching staff earning between €25,000 and €30,000.

The figures account for reduced salaries and allowances payable to all new teachers which came into effect in 2011.