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Public service pay deal worth only about half the exciting headline figure

A significant part of the increases goes straight back to the State as taxes and pension deductions

Letter of the Day
Letter of the Day

Sir, – Even to the least numerate it must be obvious that a significant part of public service pay increases goes straight back to the State as taxes and pension deductions.

A crude estimate would be at least 50 per cent.

In my political life I tried to bring this up with both commentators and economists. Economics journalist Colm Rapple was the only one who ever responded.

But then a pay deal that was effectively half the figure cited wouldn’t be half as striking would it? – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN RYAN,

Cork.