Sluggish jobs market set to continue

The jobs market across most sectors is set to remain sluggish over the last three months of the year.

Consultancy firm Manpower, in its latest labour market survey, found there was an employment outlook of -7% for the last quarter of the year, with most employers in the country providing a downbeat assessment of hiring conditions.

Manpower Ireland managing director Krissie Davies said: “Unsurprisingly, the overall survey results for Quarter 4 2012 are disappointing. The exports sector, which has been leading the recovery, is now challenged by the weakening demand in Ireland’s main trading markets. The Irish labour market continues to be impacted by market uncertainty elsewhere — even beyond European borders — and this is hindering any meaningful recovery.”