A body which represents almost 600 retailers has said 1,000 jobs will be created in the sector over the next 12 months.
Retail Excellence Ireland says its members are expecting a return to growth by the end of 2010 and say that it is a signal that business is improving.
The organisation held its first Back to Work seminar in Dublin this afternoon.
The programme is designed to help people who are out of work and trying to make the transition from other careers to the retail sector.
Two more of these seminars are to be held in Cork and Limerick in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the owner of a new cinema in Gorey has described as frightening the number of applications he received from people looking for work.
25 posts were advertised but they received more than a thousand applications.
Director of Movies @ Gorey, Graham Spurling said most of those who applied were over-qualified for the positions.
