Business and Employment Minister Ged Nash said: “I am very pleased that the jobless rate continues to decline steadily this year. 30,500 people who were unemployed this time last year are now back at work—and that is very welcome. These jobs have a positive impact not only on the formerly unemployed person themselves, but on their families and the local community where they will be spending their wages.

“These month on month decreases are no accident or lucky chance. They are as a result of enormous work from my own Department through the Action Plan for Jobs and the Tánaiste's Department through Pathways to Work. This twin-track approach is assisting us in creating the right environment for business to grow and flourish and targeting skills and job opportunities towards the unemployed.

“While the unemployment rate is still too high, there are welcome signs that youth unemployment is steadily declining.”

The Minister concluded: “We have an ambitious goal to ensure that everyone who wants a job, can get a job by 2018 and the figures published by the CSO today shows that while there is much more work to do, we are on the right track.”