AVERAGE WEEKLY earnings for public sector employees increased by 3.6 per cent in the 12 months to March 2008, Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures reveal.

In July, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said that public sector bodies, excluding those in education and health, must reduce their payroll bill by 3 per cent by the end of 2009.

In the year to March 2008, average weekly earnings grew from €908.32 to €941.01. In the first quarter of 2008, weekly earnings grew by 0.5 per cent, from €936.56 at the end of December 2007 to €941.01 by March 2008.

Employees in education benefited from an increase of €10.65 in the first quarter of 2008, bringing their average weekly wage up to €932.28. Employees in the Civil Service saw their weekly wage rise by €22.50 to €912.35.

The statistics show that employment in the public sector has risen. In the first quarter of 2008, an extra 200 people were hired in the public sector, bringing the total to 368,300. In the 12 months to March 2008, employment grew by 6,300 people, or 1.7 per cent.

When the health sector is excluded, the figures show an extra 1,400 people were hired in the first quarter of 2008, bringing total employment up to 258,000 people, as the health sector lost 1,200 people during this period.

In the year to March 2008, numbers employed in the health sector also decreased, down to 110,300 from 110,400 a year ago.

An additional 3,700 people were employed in education in the year to March 2008, bringing the total employed to 101,400.