Data tells a tale of two contrasting economies independent.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from independent.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
It is the services and domestic sectors that lag and it is also in these sectors that wages remain low, even after seven years of strong economic growth.
Ireland levels up wages at the bottom with social transfers, which means that we are one of a few countries that has not seen a widening gap between rich and poor after taxes. This basically means the taxpayer ends up subsidising poorly-paid jobs.
European Union data shows the proportion of workers here who earn two-thirds or less of median gross hourly earnings stands at nearly 20pc.
That is greater than the EU average of 15pc and is the level associated with Poland and Bulgaria (although similar to Germany), rather than most rich nation peers.