The number of people employed in the public sector rose by 5,200 in the year to September 2008, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The figures also show average weekly earnings for public sector staff, excluding those employed in the health sector, rose by 2.9 per cent.
Overall employment in the public sector, including the health sector, was 369,100 in the year to September, the data reveals.
In the year to September 2008, the numbers employed in regional bodies increased from 40,100 to 40,400.
During the same period, employment in the health sector decreased by 2,000 from 112,800 to 110,800. The number of people employed in the education sector rose by 4,400 to 97,900.
Outside the health sector, a total of 258,200 people were employed in the public sector in the year to September 2008, a rise of 7,100.
