The numbers of jobs advertised in May fell sharply, the latest Fás/ESRI Employment Survey shows. The survey, published yesterday, shows that the number of vacancies across all sectors fell by six percentage points, to 16 per cent from 22 per cent.

According to the survey findings, total vacancies fell as a result of declining job creation in the services, construction and retail sectors. The drop was most significant in the services sector, where vacancies fell from 31 per cent in April to 21 per cent in May.

But in a sign that job losses in industry may have bottomed out, the percentage of vacancies in that sector remained stable in May, at 23 per cent.

Net employment expectations also deteriorated across most sectors, most significantly in the construction sector, where anticipated hires exceeded anticipated layoffs by 5 per cent in May.

Expectations also fell significantly in the services sector with employers evenly balanced between those expecting to hire staff and those expecting to lay staff off.

Despite latest trends, continued difficulties were reported across several sectors in relation to hiring quantity surveyors, site managers, engineers, chefs and sales staff.