The average public service pension – as measured by the median – is just €19,500 a year, according to new figures analysed by the trade union-backed Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI). In other words, half of retired public servants have a pension of under €19,500 before deductions.

A blog published by NERI director Tom Healy this week, also found that 90% of retired public servants receive pensions of less than €40,000 a year, while half get between €10,000 and €30,000.

The NERI figures don’t take account of tax, universal social charge or other deductions. Neither do they factor in income other than direct public service pension payments.

The public service pension bill is just over €3 billion a year, accounting for 16% of the public service pay bill.