A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Public sector earnings increase 6.2%

Average earnings in the public sector rose at almost twice the rate of inflation at the end of last year, while the numbers employed in the sector rose by 6,300 persons in the last three months of the year, data from the Central Statistics Office revealed yesterday.

Average weekly earnings for public servants rose annually by 6.2 per cent in the final quarter of the year.

Overall employment in the sector reached 351,100 in December, compared with 344,800 in September.

The rise in public sector employment was mostly accounted for by a rise of 4,500 in the numbers employed in VECs and institutes of technology between September and December, offsetting modest falls in the numbers of civil servants, gardaí and semi-State employees over the same period .

Oakhill warns on full-year results

Printing group Oakhill said the adverse trading trends at the start of the year have continued and that this is likely to have a knock-on effect on the group's full-year results.

In a statement to the stock exchange yesterday, the Dublin-based company said that while first-quarter revenues are broadly in line with the same period last year, margins have been considerably lower due to ongoing price pressures. First-quarter revenue from the printing division was up 9 per cent on the prior year in part as a result of an increase in low margin paper sales.

Tullow directors' pay rises to €2.7m

The five executive directors of Tullow Oil shared total remuneration of €2.7 million in 2005, up from €2.4 million the previous year.

Tullow chief executive, Aidan Heavey, was paid €855,830, down from €872,830 the previous year. His package included a €426,000 salary, a €255,600 cash bonus, shares amounting to €73,144, pension contributions worth €63,900 and taxable benefits amounting to €37,186.

According to the company's annual report, Mr Heavey holds 6 million Tullow Oil shares. The company's five non-executive directors shared total remuneration amounting to €2.95 million. Tullow chairman, Pat Plunkett was paid €110,000.

Grafton chief to get Czech award

Grafton Employment Solutions co-founder Ken Belshaw is to be awarded the Gratis Agit award by the Czech Republic's minister for foreign affairs.

He will be the first Irish person to receive the award, which is presented to individuals and organisations that have promoted the Czech Republic abroad.

Mr Belshaw opened the first foreign branch of Grafton Recruitment in Prague in 1994. It now has offices in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Russia and Lithuania.

Explorer starts to drill in Celtic Sea

Exploration group Island Oil & Gas has started drilling at Seven Heads West in the Celtic Sea off the Irish coast.

The Dublin-based company said yesterday the well, the first of a €36-million drilling programme planned for this year and next, is designed to test the feasibility of extending one of its existing gas sites.

Pigsback receives €1.5m to expand

Empathy Marketing Limited, which trades as Pigsback.com, has received a €1.5 million funding package from GE Commercial Finance's business finance unit to fund its international expansion plans.

The company, founded in 2000, offers its customers targeted exclusive offers over the internet. It now wants to expand the business model into the UK.