Opinion divided on latest job figures

THE slight increase in the number of people with jobs in Ireland in the second quarter of the year may mask the true extent of the economic downturn.

Against expectations, the quarter national household survey, published by the Central Statistics Office, shows a year-on-year increase of 28,400, or 1.6% in the numbers employed between March and May of this year.

Some 44% of the increase in employment was accounted for by part-time work and brings the total number of employed people in Ireland to 1.778 million.