The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions applied in response to it had a significant impact on the labour market in 2020 and 2021. Earnings statistics for those years and comparisons with earlier years are impacted by changes in the composition of the labour market across 2020 and 2021 and when compared to 2019 and earlier years. The level of earnings has also been impacted by the COVID-19 income support schemes in place in 2020 and 2021.
Analysis by region (county, province, NUTS classification) presented in this chapter is based on the region of residence of employees, not on their place of work.
Earnings by County - Median weekly earnings were highest in County Dublin in 2021
Looking at earnings by county, median weekly earnings for Dublin were €708.08 in 2021. This was 9.9% higher than the median weekly earnings for the State, at €644.55, and 36.7% higher than Donegal which, at €517.93, had the lowest median weekly earnings.
Dublin recorded the highest median weekly earnings for males in 2021, at €780.27, followed by Kildare, at €779.65. The lowest median weekly earnings for males was recorded in Donegal, at €560.16; this was 28.2% lower than the Dublin figure.
The highest median weekly earnings for females was in Dublin, at €629.19, followed by Kildare, at €593.74. Donegal had the lowest median weekly earnings for females, at €470.36, which was 25.2% lower than the Dublin figure. See Table 7.2 and Figure 7.1.
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