Ireland hits bottom of latest global survey on future employment outlook

IRELAND has the weakest employment outlook in a global survey of 27 countries with just one in 12 companies expecting to hire in the first quarter of 2008.

This compares with one in four that expected to hire in the corresponding quarter a year ago.

The latest Manpower employment outlook survey also showed that for the first time Ireland has fallen to the bottom of the global outlook table with a 4% recording — the lowest ever figure recorded by Ireland since the survey began in 2002.

Ireland’s poor rating of 4% compares to a net employment outlook of 21% during the same period last year.

It also compares with strong figures recorded for Peru (52%); Singapore (43%); India (42%); Costa Rica (32%), and Argentina (36%).

Unsurprisingly the construction sector recorded the weakest hiring intentions with a -1% recording for the first quarter of next year compared with 23% in the same period last year.

The transport, storage and communication sectors recorded the strongest hiring intentions, while Leinster employers are the most pessimistic of all regions predicting negative hiring outlook of -4%.

However, the survey also shows that only 4% of Irish employers expect to reduce their workforce during the first three months of next year, while 87% anticipate no change.

Of the 27 countries that took part in the survey Ireland is joined at the bottom by Austria and Italy.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said that although it could not comment specifically on this survey, figures show that up to 28,000 jobs will be created in Ireland next year and we will continue to have one of the lowest unemployment figures in Europe.

Managing director of Manpower Ireland Jason Kennedy said: “The results highlighted in the Q1 2008 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey are very disappointing across many industries however the results clearly reflect the current mood in the Irish economy.

“In the past month there have been many unfortunate job losses throughout the country and this certainly has affected the mindset of Irish employers, making them ever more cautious for the coming year.”