Public sector average earnings were up 4.3 per cent in December 1997 when compared with December 1996, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office. The average earnings index for the same period increased by 5 per cent.

The earnings for prison officers rose by 41.2 per cent in December 1997 when compared with December of the previous year. This was largely because the usual drop in overtime payments did not occur. When overtime is excluded, the increase was 12 per cent.