The estimated number of people in employment in the fourth quarter of 2024 stood at just under 2.8 million, up 2.6% compared with the previous year, the Central Statistics Office’s latest Labour Force survey reveals.
There was a slight quarterly fall in the numbers in employment, which decreased by 18,400, but there was also a corresponding quarterly fall in the number of people in the labour force.
The employment rate in the fourth quarter of the last year was 74.3%, up 0.3 percentage points from 74.0% a year earlier.
Today’s CSO figures also show there were 116,100 unemployed people, with an associated unemployment rate of 4%, down from 4.2% the previous year.
The estimated total number of hours worked per week increased by 3.1 million hours or 3.8%.
The largest increase in employment by sector was in human health & social work activities, which increased by 17,200 people, or 4.7%.
There were also increases in areas such as construction and information & communication.
The largest decrease in employment was in wholesale & retail trade, repair of motor vehicles & motorcycles, which was down 17,300, or 5%.
There was also a decrease in employment in administrative & support service activities.
The Minister for Employment Peter Burke said the figures show further employment growth.
“The Irish labour market has shown outstanding progress in 2024, with key indicators reflecting a robust economy and increasing opportunities for workers across multiple industries.
“Ireland’s workforce continues to expand, driving the nation’s economic resilience and ensuring a brighter future for jobseekers across the regions,” he added.
Article Source – Number of people in employment rises to just under 2.8 million – CSO – RTE
