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Minister Donohoe welcomes CSO figures pointing to strong employment growth

  • Employment increased by 48,100 (2.4%) in the second quarter relative to the same period last year.
  • Full-time employment increased by 77,800 (5%) in the second quarter – a very positive development.
  • The level of employment is now at its highest since 2008.
  • Employment remains broad based – with an increase in 11 of the 14 sectors recorded by the CSO. The increase was also well balanced across the regions.
  • The rate of unemployment in August, at 6.1%, is the lowest since 2008.

Today’s (Friday) QNHS data published by the CSO show continued employment growth in the Irish economy in the second quarter of the year.
Reacting to these positive figures, Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe T.D., stated: ‘Conditions in the labour market remain solid. In the second quarter, full-time employment rose by 77,800 (5%) relative to the same period last year’.
“We have now seen 19 consecutive quarters of employment growth, with the result that the level of employment is now at its highest since 2008. I particularly welcome the broad-based nature of the growth with gains visible across most sectors.
“In parallel, unemployment continues to decline, with the unemployment reaching 6.1% in August. Our job is to build upon these improvements and the Government will continue to put in place the framework conditions for continued employment growth to further stabilise the economy in the years ahead.”