David McNamara: Hot Irish labour market cools slightly

At a sectoral level, the out-turn was mixed, with nine sectors seeing annual increases and five sectors falling. 

Overall, jobs growth has slowed somewhat over the past year to a narrower base of sectors.

The Irish jobs market expanded at a more moderate pace in the first quarter of 2024, but the data still point to robust growth in the Irish economy. 

Employment increased by 0.4% in the first three months of the year compared to the end of 2023, and annual growth slowed to 1.9% from a 3.4% pace at the end of last year.