Ireland’s unemployment rate is under 10% for the first time in seven years

Ireland’s unemployment rate has fallen to below 10% for the first time in seven years. Data from the Central Statistics Office indicates that the unemployment rate dropped to 9.9 per cent in the first quarter from 10.4 per cent in the final three months of 2014.

The last time it dipped below 10% was in January 2009.

A total of 12,500 jobs were created in the first three months of the year. Commenting on the figures Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs said;

“Every job created is a life back on track, a family improved, a community enhanced”

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton

However, Minister Bruton also acknowledged that there are parts of the country which have not seen much sign of a recovery.

“There are still many people around the country who are not yet feeling the benefits yet, and there is still a long way to go before we can say we have replaced all the jobs that were lost, before we can attract young emigrants home in large numbers, before we can have jobs available for all the unemployed,” he said.

Unemployment decreased by 45,300 or 17.5 per cent in the year to March, bringing the total number of people unemployed to 212,800. “This is the eleventh quarter in succession where unemployment has declined on an annual basis,”the CSO said.

Joe Robbins

(Director) BBS (Hons), MBPICS – Shannon Office

Joe Robbins is co-founder of CareerWise Recruitment. A graduate of the University of Limerick (Degree in Business Studies, 1985), Joe worked in the UK for five years where he specialised in materials management, production management and plant management for a number of companies.

He returned to Ireland in 1992 to become Operations Manager for a Cork-based start-up, FMC Automotive Division which was subsequently taken over by Snap-on Equipment. Joe managed the business re-location of this company to Shannon in 1997 before setting up CareerWise Recruitment in 1999.

He is a committee member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Mid-West region, and a former Director and Vice President of the Shannon Chamber of Commerce. Joe is former Chairperson of the Sixmilebridge Camogie Club and current Chairperson of the Clare County Camogie Board.

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