The average weekly wage is now almost €770, a 3.4% increase on last year’s figures, new data showed yesterday.
The report reveals on average workers now have an extra €25 in their pocket in comparison to last year.
The highest earners are in the information and communication sectors, taking home a weekly wage of €1,257.47.
Similarly those in finance, insurance and real estate pocket €1,230 every week.
In a stark comparison those working in the accommodation and food sector take home around €353.
The CSO report shows the average weekly earnings increased in 11 of the 13 sectors of the economy.
The largest percentage increase was 10% in the administrative and support services sector where average weekly earnings rose from €556.28 to €611.86.
While the second largest increase was 8.7% in the Transportation and storage sector which rose from €764.05 to €830.37 over the year.
The stats also show that average hourly earnings increased just over 50 cent from €23.40 to €23.93 since this time last year.
The CSO also said that average weekly earnings increased by 1.2% across the public sector and by 4.2% across the private sector in the year to the end of March.
In the public sector, An Garda Síochána recorded the highest average weekly earnings of €1,252.81 in the first quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, the estimated number of people employed in the public sector showed an increase from 397,500 to 403,100.
The Defence sector saw a fall of 1.1% in employment over the same period.
Since 2014, the overall employment numbers in the public sector have increased from 375,600 to 403,100.
Meanwhile, the job vacancy rate at the end of March this year stood at 1%, unchanged from the same time last year.
The industries with the highest number of jobs available are the financial, scientific and technical sector, while the education sector had the lowest.
The total number of jobs available at the end of the first quarter of this year stands at 19,500 - an increase of 1,700 vacant jobs since this time last year.
