Employment in the Public Sector was 368,300 (cso figures)

[spalpeen]

• employment in the public sector was [size=7]368,300 [/size]in March 2008,
  Excluding health, there were 258,000 people in the public sector
  Employment in health showed a slight fall from 110,400 in March 2007 to 110,300 in March 2008.
  Employment in education increased from 97,700 to 101,400, a rise of 3,700, by the end of the first quarter this year.
  average weekly pay for employees in the public sector was €941, compared to €908 for March the previous year.

What is the average amount of people employed in different EU Countries?
we have nearly 20 % of our workforce by these figures... seem a bit high anyone?

Figures and Info taken from Irish Times article July 31st 2008.
Public sector employment and earnings rise
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... king41.htm

"Public sector employment and earnings have risen in the first quarter of this year compared to the same quarter in 2007, figures published today show.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures reveal that overall employment in the public sector was 368,300 in March 2008, an increase of 6,300 compared with March the previous year.
Excluding health, there were 258,000 people in the public sector at the end of the first quarter this year; in March 2007 the comparative figure was 251,700.
Employment in health showed a slight fall from 110,400 in March 2007 to 110,300 in March 2008...."

[atlantic]

So we have 1cs to very 11 people living in Ireland.

• employment in the public sector was [size=7]368,300 [/size]in March 2008,
  Excluding health, there were 258,000 people in the public sector
  Employment in health showed a slight fall from 110,400 in March 2007 to 110,300 in March 2008.
  Employment in education increased from 97,700 to 101,400, a rise of 3,700, by the end of the first quarter this year.
  average weekly pay for employees in the public sector was €941, compared to €908 for March the previous year.

What is the average amount of people employed in different EU Countries?
we have nearly 20 % of our workforce by these figures... seem a bit high anyone?

Figures and Info taken from Irish Times article July 31st 2008.
Public sector employment and earnings rise
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... king41.htm

"Public sector employment and earnings have risen in the first quarter of this year compared to the same quarter in 2007, figures published today show.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures reveal that overall employment in the public sector was 368,300 in March 2008, an increase of 6,300 compared with March the previous year.
Excluding health, there were 258,000 people in the public sector at the end of the first quarter this year; in March 2007 the comparative figure was 251,700.
Employment in health showed a slight fall from 110,400 in March 2007 to 110,300 in March 2008...."

[factual]

• employment in the public sector was [size=7]368,300 [/size]in March 2008,
  Excluding health, there were 258,000 people in the public sector
  Employment in health showed a slight fall from 110,400 in March 2007 to 110,300 in March 2008.
  Employment in education increased from 97,700 to 101,400, a rise of 3,700, by the end of the first quarter this year.
  average weekly pay for employees in the public sector was €941, compared to €908 for March the previous year.

What is the average amount of people employed in different EU Countries?
we have nearly 20 % of our workforce by these figures... seem a bit high anyone?

Figures and Info taken from Irish Times article July 31st 2008.
Public sector employment and earnings rise
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... king41.htm

"Public sector employment and earnings have risen in the first quarter of this year compared to the same quarter in 2007, figures published today show.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures reveal that overall employment in the public sector was 368,300 in March 2008, an increase of 6,300 compared with March the previous year.
Excluding health, there were 258,000 people in the public sector at the end of the first quarter this year; in March 2007 the comparative figure was 251,700.
Employment in health showed a slight fall from 110,400 in March 2007 to 110,300 in March 2008...."

Actually we have quite low public sector employment. Lets not forget that excellent public services are something to be desired and they are important in ensuring a good quality of life, especially for those on low incomes.

[Schuhart]

Actually we have quite low public sector employment. Lets not forget that excellent public services are something to be desired and they are important in ensuring a good quality of life, especially for those on low incomes.

Just to amplify your point, the OECD report says on page 22

In comparison with other OECD countries, Ireland thus has been able to deliver public services with a public sector that is relatively small given the size of its economy and labour force (Table 1.1 and Figure 1.2). Even when factoring in infrastructure investment, Ireland has the third smallest total public expenditure as a percentage of GDP, and this figure has actually decreased over the past 10 years.

So, no, Ireland does not have an unusually large public service. It actually has a relatively small one.

[spalpeen]

just feel it would be good to compare for eg:

how many employed in education as a ratios to enrolled students
How many employed in the HSE (Health) per patient..

Actually we have quite low public sector employment. Lets not forget that excellent public services are something to be desired and they are important in ensuring a good quality of life, especially for those on low incomes.

I am not against a public/civil service but would expect some kind of ROI for the amount of positions held.. also can't really buy the idea that we have an "excellent" or anywhere near it Civil Service and as for desire, well its just that, an aspiration without actual merit.

[de knowledge economy]

So, no, Ireland does not have an unusually large public service. It actually has a relatively small one.

So then lets get on to the cost of the public service, the level of service they provide, their productivity levels..Salary levels in the Irish public service are on average 40% higher than in the private sector, quite the oposite in those other countries. Was'nt it 'leave bertie a loan' that commissioned that survey, hardly surprising the result.

[bobbysands81]

just feel it would be good to compare for eg:

how many employed in education as a ratios to enrolled students
How many employed in the HSE (Health) per patient..

Actually we have quite low public sector employment. Lets not forget that excellent public services are something to be desired and they are important in ensuring a good quality of life, especially for those on low incomes.

I am not against a civil service but would expect some kind of ROI for the amount of positions held.. also can't really buy the idea that we have an "excellent" or anywhere near it Civil Service and as for desire, well its just that, an aspiration without actual merit.

When was the last time you dealt with the Civil Service and how was the CS not up to scratch. Who did you complain about it to afterwards? Finally why do you equate the public service with the Civil Service? The Civil Service makes up somewhere in the region of 5-7% of the entire public service. I get the feeling that many folks on here constantly confuse the two.

[Conor]

Salary levels in the Irish public service are on average 40% higher than in the private sector

That figure is based on nothing.

[essexboy]

Should Ireland follow California?

Arnold Schwarzenegger, California's governor, has threatened to cut the pay of hundreds of thousands of public employees to below the state minimum wage in an attempt to balance the budget of the world's seventh largest economy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008.../usa.useconomy

[hiker]

average weekly pay for employees in the public sector was €941, compared to €908 for March the previous year.
we have nearly 20 % of our workforce by these figures... seem a bit high anyone?

Depends on what you get for your €941.00 per week. We have large numbers employed in Public services because traditionally we had a very poor private sector.
Things have changed dramatically over the last couple of decades and there are now plenty of private companies who can provide the services.

The question that should be asked is this;
Do we need publicly run services?
As a society we pay taxes to run services; simpllistic but pretty much true. We pay taxes because the services provided are usually carried out for the people by the people.

This scenario would be pretty easy to follow and would indeed be encouraged but things can get a lttle complicated. Because we dont know exactly what the cost of individual services are, we have no way of knowing if we are being overcharged.

Take transport for example. Dublin Bus runs at a loss. We , the taxpayers , pay €80 million a year to make up the shortfall. On the face of it you might think that Dublin Bus is a great place because it runs things so cheaply that it cannot break even. We must be very lucky commuters to have such a great company doing this for us.

Except....

Dublin Bus (& Irish Rail) is so badly run with outdated and obscenly expensive working practices that we are probably paying twice what we should be for the services rendered.
The problem is we dont know. The reason we dont know is because without a private operator to give competition we have no idea what an independent bus service might cost.

The only independent ones that do try to compete are put out of business (Circle Line Buses) or attempted to put out of business (Swords Express) using taxpayers money.

This is the great "privatisation" debate that the Progressive Democrats usually get a lot of stick for. To be honest, if taxpayers were getting good value, there would be not many complaints for the likes of the PDs.

And we do get some good services. I can vouch for very good Waste Collection Services out here in Fingal. I can vouch for very good Local Government in the Fingal County Council particularly in the area of Sports and Leisure.

I think we get good service in Education and to a large degree in Health. I think the Garda Siochana are good value for money as are the Prison Services.

I dont think transport is up to scratch. I dont think our Defense Forces are fully utilised. I think Dail Eirean could be halved and the Senate abolished or reduced considerably.
Our Energy sector is begining to be privatised and I do beleive that as this happens the burden on the taxpayer will ease.
There are some excellent public services. Who would run all the museums and gallaries, parks & public houses and gardens.

I'm not idealogically opposed to State run enterprises; I am idealogically opposed to wasting money.