Third-level graduates starting at Dell's Limerick plant are believed to earn an average gross salary of between £15,000 and £18,000 a year. This increases depending on the skills of the worker and the section they work in.

Employees working on the assembly line are at the lower end of the pay scale, earning a starting salary of between £12,000 and £13,000.

The company operates a 39-hour week, on a three-shift basis. Overtime is normal, particularly coming up to the end of the financial quarter.

All employees can avail of the company's stock purchasing scheme which offers them Dell shares at a discount of about 15 per cent. There is also a quarterly profit bonus if companywide targets are met.

At the sales and support centre in Bray, employees work normal office hours and can expect to start on a gross salary of about £16,000. They too can avail of the shares scheme and sales staff earn a small commission on each PC they sell.