Almost every county and major city in Ireland experienced growth in job vacancies in the third quarter of the year compared to the same period last year, according to the latest IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index.
The new data shows that in Dublin, vacancies increased by 19%, in Cork and Galway by 5%, and in Limerick by 2%. Other counties with large urban populations, including Waterford (27%), Sligo (15%) and Kilkenny (10%) have all seen double digit growth year on year.
Other more rural counties to experience significant growth include Meath (40%), Wicklow (38%), Carlow (36%), Westmeath (28%), Kildare (25%), Laois (22%) and Louth (20%).
Overall, job vacancies increased by 4% year-on-year but declined by 1% quarter-on-quarter.
The data, according to Safann MacCarthy, European Marketing Director at IrishJobs.ie parent company IrishJobs.ie, suggests that Ireland's economy is robust and growing.
"In the majority of cases, more job vacancies are a strong indicator that Ireland's economy remains on an upwards trajectory. Businesses are confident, investing in growth, and in doing so, creating jobs," she said.
"A problem arises if these vacancies are not filled. This can be a short-term issue, particularly if an area is the recipient of new, rapid investment and growing faster than employees can be found. This may be the case in areas like Longford, with the construction of a new Center Parcs resort, and in Limerick, which has quickly ascended to third city status in Ireland as a result of continued investment from medical and technology companies. The IDA have also made strides in attracting multinational companies to towns like Sligo and Waterford, which have seen significant growth in recent years."
