Bluff and bluster about public sector pay not supported by facts

Cathal Ahern’s letter (Dec 11) is typical of all anti-public sector rants, big on bluff, bluster and rhetoric, but seriously lacking in facts or balance.

His assumption that the wages of Irish public servants “are way out of line with their counterparts in other European countries” does not stand up to objective scrutiny.

According to the IMF, Irish public service pay was 11.2% of GDP in 2011. This compares to an OECD average of 10.8%, and 11.1% for OECD countries who are members of the EU.