Increase in plans to take on staff

THE number of Irish firms intending to increase their staff levels in the next three months doubled in the second quarter of the year, according to employers’ representative body IBEC.

News of the year-on-year growth — to 20% of firms — figures in the latest quarterly Business Sentiment Survey, published today by IBEC. This also shows that the majority of firms remain positive on their trading outlook during the third quarter of the year.

“The survey provides further evidence that business is now well-placed to drive economic growth and recovery. Firms’ confidence in both the current trading conditions and the three- month outlook for their own businesses has stabilised at a solid level,” according to IBEC’s chief economist Fergal O’Brien.