New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveal that the national unemployment rate edged up to 4.2% in December, compared to 4.1% in November.
On an annual basis, the December unemployment rate of 4.2% represents a decrease from 4.5% in December 2023, the CSO reported.
Unemployment Rates by Gender
- The unemployment rate for men increased slightly to 4.2% in December, up from 4.1% in November, but lower than 4.3% in December 2023.
- For women, the rate held steady at a revised 4.2% in December, down from 4.6% in December 2023.
Youth Unemployment
The youth unemployment rate rose to 11.6% in December, up from a revised 11.2% in November.
Number of Unemployed
The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed individuals stood at 121,700 in December, compared to 120,300 in November 2024. This marks a year-on-year decline of 3,900 unemployed people.