Employment figures published yesterday give the strongest indication in half a decade that economic recovery has begun. For the first time since the recession started in 2008, the numbers at work have risen over a six month period. In the final quarter of the year, 1.85 million people were in jobs, a rise of 6,500 on three months earlier according to seasonally adjusted figures from the Central Statistics Office.

Revisions to the third quarter data show that employment growth was also recorded in that period. Those revisions put the net increase in employment in the third quarter at 2,200.

Oh, wait now….

By region, Dublin and the south-west accounted for almost all of the Irish economy’s expansion in employment in the second half of last year.

That most of the increase in employment was accounted for by part-time rather than full-time jobs took some of the shine off yesterday’s numbers.

Rise in jobs figures signals start of recovery (Dan O’Brien, Irish Times)