The Government has abandoned its aim to have full employment by 2018

The Government has formally abandoned its target to have full employment in Ireland by 2018.

It has now pushed the target back to the year 2020 - after admitting it is too difficult to get jobs for everyone within three years.

Unemployment now stands at 8.9% - compared to over 15% at the start of 2012.

But Enda Kenny admits getting to 6% - which he considers full employment - is harder than expected: “I think it’s more realistic, obviously, yes, 6% is full employment by 2020.

“It is important that we set out that stall, the difficulties that we faced this year are a continuation of the great difficulties for the last number of years, but now it is moving on very strongly.”