20th August 2026
The Q2 2026 Labour Force Survey and latest Monthly Unemployment Release show:
- Employment continues to grow, with 21,200 jobs created in the year to Q2 2026.
- Total employment now stands at 2.84 million.
- Employment growth has been widespread throughout the regions – Employment outside of Dublin increased by 12,000 in the year to Q2 2026 (+0.6 percent).
- Full time employment was up 13,500 (+0.6 percent) year on year in the second quarter, while part time employment was up 7,600 (+1.31 percent) year on year.
- In July 2026, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from the June 2026 rate and up from a rate of 5.0 percent in July 2025.
Labour Force Survey (LFS) results published today by the Central Statistics Office show continued growth in Ireland’s labour market, with 21,200 jobs created in the year to Q2 2026. Employment now stands at 2.84 million, an increase of approximately 0.75 percent over Q2 2025.
This is a positive step towards the Programme for Government’s target to create 300,000 extra jobs by 2030, supported by strategic investments, supportive enterprise policies, and a focus on fostering a vibrant economy. This commitment to continued employment growth builds upon the Government’s White Paper on Enterprise, published in December 2022, which sets out the strategic direction for job creation in the years ahead.
Commenting on the figures, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said:
“The Irish Labour Market continues to demonstrate strong resilience and growth, with total employment remaining at a record high with 21,200 jobs created over the past year. These gains have been broad based across the economy, with strong growth in sectors including Education, Transportation and Storage, and Industry.
The majority of new jobs created this year have been outside Dublin, reflecting this Government's commitment to balanced regional enterprise development and ensuring opportunities are available throughout the country.
My Department remains committed to supporting workers throughout their careers. Through measures such as flexible working, we are helping to increase workforce participation and build a more diverse and inclusive labour market that benefits workers, businesses and communities across Ireland.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, said:
“Today’s results highlight the continued resilience of our labour market in the face of significant uncertainty in the global economy, with employment reaching a new record high of 2.84 million in the second quarter. Over 20,000 jobs have been added over the past year, while the unemployment rate remained low at 4.9 per cent in the second quarter.
At the same time, we know that the world of work is changing. Technological change – and particularly the rapid development and deployment of AI - is already reshaping the nature of work in Ireland and we must ensure that our workforce is equipped with the skills to take advantage of those opportunities.
As we prepare for Budget 2027, Government’s priority is to build upon the progress that we have made, support our international competitiveness, and ensure that the strength of our economy continues to be reflected in higher living standards for people across the country. This will be delivered through continued investment in public services, growth in spending on critical infrastructure and, importantly, a tax package that supports workers at a time when cost of living pressures are weighing on so many people.”
Please also find here a link to the CSO release: Labour Force Survey Quarter 2 2026 - Central Statistics Office
ENDS
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