The employment outlook slightly weakened in June, new research indicates.
According to the latest FÁS/ESRI survey, the percentage of firms reporting vacancies in the private sector fell by one percentage point to 12%, driven by fewer vacancies in the retail and services sectors.
The percentage of employers expecting a rise in employment levels in their firms over the coming months is two percentage points higher than the number predicting a decrease.
However, the net employment expectations indicator for all sectors was down by two points last month compared to May.
Reported vacancies in the construction sector rose by two points to 8%, and vacancies in the industrial sector rose after no change since March. The survey showed that the construction sector's employment expectations improved compared to May.
But a higher proportion of employers in the sector still expect employment levels to fall rather than rise over the coming few months: with the net employment expectations indicator up by five percentage points to -9%.
