Irish unemployment rate edges up to 4.0% in March - CSO

Ireland’s labour market saw a slight softening in March, as the unemployment rate ticked up and the number of jobseekers increased, data from the Central Statistics Office showed on Wednesday.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.0% in March from 3.9% in February. However, it still was below the 4.3% recorded in March 2024.

The number of unemployed people increased to 114,800 in March from 112,900 in February, marking a monthly rise of 1,900. Compared to a year earlier, the number of unemployed fell by 5,600 from 120,400.

By gender, the unemployment rate for males was 3.9% in March, unchanged from the revised February figure but down from 4.2% a year ago. The rate for females rose slightly to 4.1% from a revised 4.0% rate in February, though it remained below the 4.3% recorded in March 2024.

Among age groups, the youth unemployment rate - covering those aged 15 to 24 - held steady at around 12% in March. For individuals aged 25 to 74, the rate increased marginally to 2.9% from 2.8% in February.

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