Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the average wage for a PAYE person working full time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3267/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the average income for a full-time self-assessed taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3268/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.

I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that statistics maintained by them on the incomes of taxpayers do not distinguish between incomes derived from full-time employment and part-time working. It would not be possible to arrive at meaningful figures for average incomes without conducting a protracted re-development of the underlying computer system.

To the extent that official data on average earnings may be available, the Central Statistics Office produces statistics on earnings in the economy, including average earnings. My understanding is that such information is produced in accordance with the European Classification of Economic Activities (NACE) which is the European reference framework for the production and the dissemination of statistics related to economic activity.