Average hourly earnings for workers in Ireland rose 6.2% year-on-year in the third quarter, climbing from €26.19 to €27.82, according to data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The average worker earned €1.63 per hour more in Q3 this year compared to the same period in 2022, while other hourly labour costs, including pension contributions and benefit in kind, rose 12.9% or 53 cent on an annual basis from €4.12 to €4.65.

While earnings have risen over the past year, the number of paid hours for Irish workers fell slightly (-0.6%) from 32.8 to 32.6.

Over the five years since later 2018, average hourly earnings have risen 23% from €22.62 to €27.82.

Education is now the sector with the highest hourly earnings at €42.32, up 7.1% €2.80 from €39.52 in Q3 2022, ahead of information & communication, including IT, where hourly earnings rose 1.9% or 76c from €40.05 to €40.81.

Conversely, accommodation & food services workers earned the lowest hourly wage at €16.24, up 8.7% or €1.31 from €14.93 in Q3 last year and significantly lower than arts & entertainment (€21.60), the sector with the second-lowest hourly earnings.

In terms of total labour costs, which includes pension contributions, benefit in kind, redundancy payments etc, information & communication was highest (€53.16), ahead of education (€47.24), with accommodation & food services (€18.04) and arts & entertainment (€24.74) again trailing.

Average hourly total labour costs increased by 24.3% over the five years to Q3 2023, from €26.12 per hour to €32.47, with information & communication experiencing the biggest uplift (+33.1%) and transportation the smallest (+2.9%).

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