Further evidence of a downward trend in construction employment emerged today with figures that showed private construction firms employed 0.1% less staff in April, than the same month in 2006.
The Central Statistics Office said that the monthly employment index for the sector fell to 109.1 in the month, compared to 109.2 in April last year.
Yesterday's employment figures from FAS and the Economic and Social Research Institute showed the vacancy rate in the construction sector dropped by four points to 6% in May, the lowest for almost a year.
The employment expectations indicator - the difference between the number of companies expecting a rise in employment levels and those expecting a fall - dropped three points to 14% in the sector - the lowest since November 2002, FAS and the ESRI had said.
