Jobs, salaries up in public sector

Average weekly earnings in the public sector (excluding the health services) rose by 9.3% in

the year to September 2004, according to figures today from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The index of average earnings, which excludes some effects of changes in employment composition, rose by 9.1% for the same period.

A total of 238,900 people were employed in the public sector (excluding health) in September 2004 compared to 236,700 in September 2003.

Employment in the health sector increased from 96,600 to 98,400 in the same period.

Overall employment in the public sector was 337,300 in September 2004 an increase of 4,000 compared with September 2003.