Admin and construction sectors lead jobs growth

Figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the number of people at work in the economy in Q2 of this year rose to just over 2m, an increase of 2.9% or 56,200 compared with a year earlier. This is the first time the two million mark has been reached since the last quarter of 2008, CSO figures show.

Full-time jobs accounted for 44,900 of the annual increase, with an 11,400 rise in part-time employment.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, employment increased by 20,000 over the previous quarter, following an increase of 16,100 in the first quarter and a rise of 7,000 in the final quarter of last year.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.4%. The CSO said the number of people out of work fell for the 16th quarter in a row – down 23,400 over the year to 187,800. The long-term unemployment rate – those out of work for more than a year – has fallen from 5.5% to 4.4% over the past 12 months.

As a result of today’s figures, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July has been revised up to 8.3%.

The number of people in the labour force increased by 32,800 over the year to just over 2.2m.

The CSO said employment increased in 12 of the 14 economic sectors over the past year, with the largest annual increases in the administrative and support services sector (up 9.9%) and construction (up 8.7%). The biggest fall was in the financial, insurance and real estate sector, though the figure dropped by only 1.1%.

Report by Business Post