The unemployment rate was 5.2% in February when adjusted for seasonal factors, unchanged from January, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.
However, when those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment are included, the rate was 7% in February, down from 7.8% in January.
The Covid-adjusted unemployment rate had stood at 27% in February of last year.
The CSO said the seasonally adjusted number of people registered as unemployed was 135,100 last month, down 2,000 from January and down 45,000 compared to February 2021.
Commenting on today's CSO figures, Jack Kennedy - an economist at global job site Indeed - said the jobless rate fell in February as the reduced pandemic restrictions helped to stimulate rehiring and returned the labour market to a positive path.
Jack Kennedy said the CSO's recent Labour Force Survey showed that the economy added an "amazing" 229,000 jobs in 2021, a gain of over 10%.
The gains put employment levels ahead of where they were pre-pandemic.
"Ireland's ability to recover rapidly from labour market shocks is notable given that the UK and euro zone economies have yet to see their labour markets recover to such a great extent," the economist said.
But while the jobs environment looks broadly positive, the economist said an area of potential concern remains the increasing numbers in long-term unemployment - those without a job for over a year.
Jack Kennedy noted that 44,300 people were categorised as long-term unemployed at the end of 2021, up over 20% on the previous year, and now representing more than a third of those without jobs.
"With the economy performing strongly, this segment is an important area for Government to focus on for training and reskilling," he said.
"The Action Plan for Apprenticeships is one helpful policy lever, aiming to grow the number of new apprentice registrations to 10,000 per year by 2025. Equipping people with appropriate skills in segments of the economy experiencing labour shortages is valuable both for employers and potential apprentices," he added.
