JOBS figures to be published today are expected to show a higher than expected level of employment increase in the year to last April.

Boosted by a strong increase in the services sector and a further sources estimate that the figures are likely to show an increase in total employment not far from the 52,000 rise recorded the previous year.

The preliminary results of the 1996 Labour Force Survey, to be published this morning, are expected to exceed forecasts of an increase of around 35,000 made by bodes such as the ESRI.

The Labour Force figures will be the first recent indication of overall employment growth in the economy and sources said they would allow the Government to claim that economic growth is translating into new jobs.

Informed sources speculated last night that the increase in employment in the year to last April revealed by the figures was likely to be in the region of 40,000 to 50,000, following a 52,000 increase the previous year and 36,000 in the year to April, 1994.

Industrial employment is likely to show an increase of 9,000 to 10,000, but the main jobs gain will come from the services sector, while a continued decline in the agricultural sector will be recorded.

Strong growth in industrial employment was confirmed yesterday by figures announced by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton. He said that of the 17 major industrial projects announced last year promising 8,497 jobs, some 4,037 of the positions had already been filled, representing nearly half the job creation intended over three to five years.

Of the 21 projects announced this year involving 6,981 jobs, almost 2,000 had already been recruited, he said.