19th February 2026
The Q4 2025 Labour Force Survey and latest Monthly Unemployment Release show:
- employment continues to grow, with 56,700 jobs created in the year to Q4 2025
- total employment now stands at 2.83 million
- employment growth has been widespread throughout the regions – employment outside of Dublin increased by 37,400 in the year to Q4 2025 (+1.9%)
- full time employment was up 54,800 (+2.5%) year on year in the fourth quarter, while part time employment was up 1,900 (+0.3%) year on year
- in January 2026, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7%, unchanged from the revised December 2025 rate and up from a rate of 4.5% in January 2025
The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke and the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris have welcomed the Labour Force Survey (LFS) results published today by the Central Statistics Office, which show continued growth in Ireland’s labour market, with 56,700 jobs created in the year to Q4 2025.
Employment now stands at 2.83 million, an increase of approximately 2.0% over Q4 2024.
Commenting on the figures, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said:
“The Irish labour market has shown continued strength in 2025, with total employment reaching 2.83 million in the final quarter of last year. Jobs growth has been widespread outside Dublin, demonstrating this government’s commitment to balanced regional enterprise development. The latest CSO figures show a labour market that continues to perform strongly across key sectors including construction, transportation and education.
"The CSO’s downward revisions to unemployment figures for late 2025, together with a January 2026 rate of 4.7%, confirm an even stronger labour market than previously understood. These results highlight the resilience of our economy and the impact of policies that support workers, businesses, and communities nationwide.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris TD, said:
“Today’s results highlight the continued strength of our labour market. A record high 2.83 million people were in employment in the fourth quarter of last year, with 57,000 jobs added on an annual basis. For 2025 as a whole, the level of employment grew by 2.2% relative to 2024, in-line with my department’s Budget 2026 forecasts.
"It is also encouraging to see that the unemployment rate fell to 4.6% in the final quarter. The unemployment rate has now remained below 5% for 4 years – 16 consecutive quarters. That is a remarkable achievement given the significant global headwinds we have faced during that time.
"However, we cannot take this progress for granted. Risks to the economic outlook remain elevated and tilted to the downside, while technological change is accelerating at a rapid pace. My focus is on ensuring that Ireland is prepared for this transformation – by boosting the resilience of the economy and ensuring that our workforce and enterprises are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing international environment”
Please also find here a link to the CSO release: Labour Force Survey (LFS) - CSO
ENDS
Back to Department News