Should I go public sector

You don't have to buy years.

You may have a work pension from your jobs between age 22 and 45.

That combined with the State Pension, combined with the (non-full) PS pension might be enough.

»For most workers, any pay increase faces a 16.5% marginal pension charge, on top of the 40% tax + 4.1% PRSI + 4% USC = 52%.

So what?

Is it your contention that a flat pension contribution should be taken across the gross salary and abolish the generous thresholds to avoid this marginal pension charge? Have you run that idea by your lower paid colleagues in your building?

A bit here: https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/money/pensions/public-service-pensions/

But basicilly there are several different public sector pension schemes, the one your are in usually depends on the year you started working in the service.

For most of the schemes (outside of Army/gardai and possibly a few more specific areas) you need to have worked 40 years in the serivce to qualify for a "full" pension. If you cannot work 40 years (you only get a job in the service after age 25 (retirement age is generally 65, again depending on start year and potentially other schemes) you wont get a full pension but you can however "buy back" years which some people do. There are specialists who will give you advise on whether this is a good idea or not - it really depends on a number of variables.

More here; https://www.raisin.com/en-ie/pensions/public-service-pensions/