Information Note Earnings and Labour Costs Q4 2025 (Final) Q1 2026 (Preliminary Estimates)

Information Note - Earnings and Labour Costs Q4 2025 (Final) Q1 2026 (Preliminary Estimates)

As of 06 July 2026 the following data has been revised:

As a result of an issue in the previously reported figures for the Defence sub-sector in the period 2026Q1, updated data have been included in the analysis, affecting averages for all NACE sectors B-T, NACE Sector P, the Public Sector, and the Defence sub-sector. The following were restated:

Key Findings:

• Average weekly earnings were €1,075.58 (previously reported as €1,074.61) in Quarter 1 (Q1) 2026, up 4.4% from €1,029.81 in Q1 2025.
• Average hourly earnings rose by 4.0% to €33.14 (previously reported as €33.13) in Q1 2026, from €31.86 in Q1 2025.
• Average weekly paid hours were 32.5 (previously reported as 32.4) in Q1 2026, up 0.6% (previously reported as 0.3%) from the Q1 2025 hours of 32.3.

Statistician’s Comment:

• Preliminary estimates for January, February, March (Q1) 2026 show average weekly earnings were €1,075.58 (previously reported as €1,074.61), up 4.4% compared with €1,029.81 in Q1 2025.
• Average hourly earnings grew on an annual basis by 4.0% to €33.14 (previously reported as €33.13), increasing in 11 of the 13 economic sectors, while average weekly paid hours increased by 0.6% (previously reported as 0.3%) from 32.3 in Q1 2025 to 32.5 (previously reported as 32.4) in Q1 2026.

	Average Weekly Earnings	Average Hourly Earnings	Average Weekly Paid Hours
	€	€	Hours
	Unadjusted
Q1 2026	1075.58 (1074.61)	33.14 (33.13)	32.5 (32.4)
Annual % change	4.4	4.0	0.6 (0.3)

 Figure 1 (Graph and text updated)

• Average weekly earnings were €1,075.58 (previously reported as €1,074.61) in Q1 2026, an increase of 4.4% when compared with €1,029.81 from one year earlier, according to preliminary estimates of the Earnings and Labour Costs quarterly release.
• Average hourly earnings grew on an annual basis by 4.0% to €33.14 (previously reported as €33.13) in Q1 2026, while average weekly paid hours increased slightly from 32.3 in Q1 2025 to 32.5 (previously reported as 32.4) in Q1 2026.

Figure 2 – All Sectors and Public admin & defence data updated.

Figure 3 – All Sectors and Public admin & defence data updated.

Figure 4 – Unadjusted Data updated.

Figure 5 – Unadjusted Data updated. 

Table 1: Average weekly earnings by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Sector	€
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	1,248.66 (1238.51)
All Sectors	1,075.58 (1074.61)
Private sector	1,007.18 (1,007.19)
Public sector	1,280.47 (1,277.27)
Greater than 250 employees	1,232.88 (1,231.36)

Table 2: Average hourly earnings by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Sector	€
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	34.19 (34.08)
All Sectors	33.14 (33.13)
Public sector	39.13 (39.11)
Greater than 250 employees	36.92 (36.91)

Table 3: Average weekly paid hours by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Sector	Hours
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	36.5 (36.3)
All Sectors	32.5 (32.4)

Table 4: Earnings, hours and labour costs, unadjusted and seasonally adjusted by other characteristics and quarter. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Unadjusted Data
	Average Weekly Earnings (€)	Average Weekly Paid Hours	Average Hourly Earnings (€)
Q1 2026	1,075.58 (1,074.61)	32.5 (32.4)	33.14 (33.13)

Table 5a: Average hourly earnings excluding irregular earnings by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Sector	€
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	32.71 (32.59)
All Sectors	30.31 (30.30)
Public sector	37.83 (37.82)
Greater than 250 employees	33.50 (33.48)

Table 5b: Average hourly irregular earnings by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Sector	€
Greater than 250 employees	3.42 (3.43)

Table 6a: Average hourly other labour costs by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:  

Sector	€
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	3.83 (3.82)
Public sector	4.76 (4.77)
Greater than 250 employees	6.48 (6.49)

Table 6c: Average hourly total labour costs by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses: 

Sector	€
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	38.01 (37.90)

Table 7a: Employment by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses: 

Sector
Private Sector	1,844,600 (1,846,100)
Public Sector	463,500 (462,100)

Table 7b: Job Vacancies by economic sector and other characteristics and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses: 

Sector
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (P)	6,600 (6,500)

Figure 8 (Graph and text updated) - Average weekly earnings increased by 4.6% (previously reported as 4.4%) across the public sector in the year to Q1 2026, rising from €1,223.89 to €1,280.47 (previously reported as €1,277.27.). 

Figure 9 (Graph updated) – Q1 2026 Defence data updated.

Table 8a: Average weekly earnings by public sector sub-sector and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Public Sector sub-sector	€
Defence	1,195.55 (989.88)
Total public sector	1,280.47 (1,277.27)
Total public sector excluding semi-state bodies	1,278.19 (1,274.49)

Table 8b: Average hourly earnings by public sector sub-sector and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Public Sector sub-sector	€
Defence	33.58 (30.93)
Total public sector	39.13 (39.11)
Total public sector excluding semi-state bodies	39.62 (39.61)

Table 8c: Average weekly paid hours by public sector sub-sector and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Public Sector sub-sector	Hours
Defence	35.6 (32.0)
Total public sector	32.7 (32.7)
Total public sector excluding semi-state bodies	32.3 (32.2)

Table 8d: Average hourly earnings excluding irregular earnings by public sector sub-sector and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses:

Public Sector sub-sector	€
Defence	32.40 (29.82)
Total public sector	37.83 (37.82)
Total public sector excluding semi-state bodies	38.57 (38.56)

Table 8e: Public Sector Employment by sub-sector and quarter - Preliminary Estimates. Sector changes are detailed below. Previously stated values, where different, are listed in parentheses: Data in the PxStat Table EHQ03, PxStat Table EHQ04, PxStat Table EHQ08, PxStat Table EHQ10, PxStat Table EHQ16, PxStat Table EHQ53, PxStat Table EHQ54, and PxStat Table EHQ59 was also revised. 

Public Sector sub-sector
Defence	8,100 (6,700)
Total public sector	463,500 (462,100)
Total public sector excluding semi-state bodies	393,100 (391,700)