Employers in private sector to shed jobs

EMPLOYERS in the private sector expect to shed jobs over the coming months, according to a major survey published this morning.

The survey, which was carried out by government think-tank, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), in conjunction with state employment and training agency FÁS, found private sector firms cut jobs during the three months to September and that they expected this trend to continue.

The ESRI said the outlook was pessimistic. Employers in the retail sector felt particularly strongly that they would employ fewer people in the coming months, while service-related businesses had “moderate expectations” of a fall in employment levels. Expectations in the retail sector reached their lowest level since May 2003.