Big earners were not all in the public service

INCOME distribution is top-heavy in Ireland. The top 20% of taxpayers pocketed 50% of all earnings in Ireland in 2006.

The top 5% got 25% of the country’s wage packet, while it took the bottom 60% to earn the same amount in that year.

The public service, in its broadest possible definition, was then 17% of the labour force. There was one public servant for every five private sector workers. The numbers of men and women at work in the private sector were in the ratio 60:40, while there were nearly twice as many women as men working in the overall public sector.

Nearly 12,000 taxpayers throughout Ireland earned more than 275,000 in 2006 before the good times stopped rolling. They were not all public servants. Contrast that with the savage cutbacks of the social welfare bonus this Christmas. Look at the figures and get things in perspective before you throw stones again.

Michael Mernagh

Raheens

Carrigaline

Co Cork