EMPLOYMENT LEVELS IN Ireland increased for the first time since 2007 in the final quarter of last year, according to newly released figures from the Central Statistics Office.

However, the number of people in employment decreased by 0.8 per cent, or 15,400, over the entire year.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged from the previous quarter at 14.6 per cent, with figures show that 302,000 people were unemployed at the end of 2011 – an increase of 3,000 since 2010.

The CSO said that the average employment level during 2011 was 38,100 lower than the level recorded in 2010. This follows a decrease of 80,700 or 4.2 per cent between 2009 and 2010

Meanwhile, the level of long-term unemployment rate rose from 7.3 per cent to 8.6 per cent over 2011.

A large drop in the number of self-employed people accounted for 70 per cent of the total fall in employment over the year. According to the CSO, the number of self-employed people in Ireland is now at its lowest since 1998.

The number of men in employment decreased by 6,100 (0.6 per cent) while the number of women workers fell by 9,400 (1.1 per cent).

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