Have public service wages kept up with inflation?

Public sector wages in Ireland have been closely monitored for their alignment with inflation. The Government maintains that pay increases have kept pace with inflation since the last agreement in June 2024, while unions argue that wages have fallen behind due to inflation. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) provides figures on public sector weekly earnings before tax for civil servants, Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána, education workers, and healthcare providers.

Over the past decade, all categories have generally kept pace with inflation. However, a closer look reveals differing trends over shorter periods. For instance, between April and June 2016 and April to June 2026, civil service wages increased by 43%, Defence Forces earnings rose by 50%, gardaí saw a 40% increase, education workers experienced a 39% rise, and healthcare workers had a 43% increase.

During the same period, inflation rose by 27.4%. The average civil service earnings stood at €62,950, Defence Forces at €62,533, gardaí at €95,353, education workers at €65,540, and healthcare workers at €65,151. Interestingly, gardaí's overtime increases contribute significantly to their higher earnings. The number of paid hours worked also varies, with gardaí working the longest hours at 43.2 compared to the civil service's 36 hours, Defence Forces at 35.3 hours, education at 24.7 hours, and healthcare at 33.6 hours.