Irish Employment Growth: A Steady Climb
New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) signal good news for the Irish job market. The total number of people working in Ireland grew by 2.2% year-on-year to April 2026. This uptick offers a reassuring indication of steady job creation across the nation.
Employment Figures on the Rise
As of April, the number of employees in Ireland reached approximately 2.6 million, a rise from just under 2.55 million in the previous year. Month-on-month, employment saw a slight increase of 0.1% from March, indicating consistent growth.
Demographic Shifts
Across age demographics, all but one category, 35-44 years, experienced growth, with a minor dip of just 0.1%. The most noteworthy rise occurred in the 65 years and over group, with a significant increase of 7.5%. This pattern highlights the valuable role of older workers in the workforce.
Sectoral Performance
Transportation and storage led the way with a 7% annual growth, followed by the construction sector, which increased by 4.6%. However, not all sectors fared well; industry and information and communication saw decreases of 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively.
Monthly Trends and Analysis
The CSO reported that ten economic sectors recorded month-on-month employment increases, whereas five sectors experienced declines, reflecting the dynamic nature of the Irish economy.
Bank of Ireland Insights
The Bank of Ireland’s economic research unit noted a 0.5% rise in employee numbers in the first four months of 2026. They view this steady increase as a positive sign of sustainable job creation, despite concerns raised by the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
“The outturn gives us confidence in our view that the much more pernicious slowdown in Irish job creation, signaled by the official Labour Force Survey (LFS) measure, reflects sampling error and volatility in the data,” the Bank stated.
With buoyant income tax returns up 7.5% in 2026, the outlook remains optimistic. The Bank predicts continued employment growth above 1% for 2026, contingent on a recovery in the LFS measure in Q2.
For further details, visit Irishexaminer.com. Source
