Average weekly earnings in the public sector climbed by 5.6 per cent in the year to the end of March, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The figures released today also show that 248,000 people were employed in the public sector (excluding health) in March compared to 245,600 in the same period last year.
Overall employment in the public sector was 351,300 in March 2006, an increase of 6,000 compared with last year.
Employment in education increased from 91,400 to 92,500, and employment in the health sector increased from 99,700 to 103,300.