It's a staple of the Irish media that public sector workers in Ireland are overpaid. So staple it's boring. The sun rises in the East, 1 plus 1 equals 2, public sector workers are overpaid, blah, blah, blah. Since I work in the public sector I could be accused of a bias? Perhaps. But since the Irish media is dominated by private sector interests (e.g. the Bean Baron) let's just say that we're all sinners. But as sinners we can still access the facts.
Fact 1: the current (allegedly bonanza) partnership deal provides for annual payrises of 4.4%.
Fact 2: the current inflation rate is 4.8% and has been in excess of 4.4% for most of the period covered by the deal.
Fact 3: over the period of of this below inflation pay deal the Irish economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world (reaching 8th position).
Let's put these facts together. In a period when Ireland was one of the fastest growing economies in the world, public sector workers have taken a pay cut in real terms.
Still a main story in the Irish media is the excessive generosity towards public sector workers!
Yep, and the leprechaun is at the end of the rainbow with the pot of gold ...
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