The number of jobs in the economy has reached its highest level in the history of the State and is set to break the two million barrier by the end of the year, according to the latest statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CS0).
The figures also show rising participation by migrants and women in the labour force.
The CSO's most recent Quarterly National Household Survey, released yesterday, shows that employment growth continued to surge over the summer.
In the period June to August, the total numbers employed rose by 60,600 to a new record level of 1,989,800.
When seasonal factors are taken into account, employment in this period was 21,000 higher than in the preceding three-month period.
The latest trends indicate that employment will surpass two million by the end of this year.
On a year-on-year basis, employment levels at the end of August were 96,000 higher than one year previously, an increase of 5 per cent.
Some 70,800, or almost three-quarters, of the new jobs created in that period were full-time positions.
The labour force - the total number of people available for work - rose by 99,000 in the 12 months to August to reach 2,086,500.
Of these the CSO estimates that 58,000 are accounted for by demographic factors, including young people and women entering the labour market.
Migrant workers accounted for another 40,000. There are now a total of 160,000 migrants working in Ireland, or about 8 per cent of the total workforce.
Participation in the labour force has risen to 63.2 per cent of the total population, compared with 61.8 per cent a year previously.
Amongst women, labour force participation has risen strongly to 52.9 per cent, from 51 per cent a year previously.
The CSO estimates that 27,000 married women entered the labour force in the 12 months to August.
Employment in construction continued to dominate jobs growth and accounted for 30,400 - almost one third - of the new jobs created in the 12 months to August.
Employment in the category of financial and other business services also grew strongly in the period, by 20,200.
But the CSO figures show that employment in manufacturing continues to fall. Employment in the other production industries category, which includes manufacturing, was 11,000 lower in the June to August period than a year previously.
The figures were welcomed by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin as a vindication of social partnership.
"These very positive figures clearly show that current Government policies are working extremely well and we will continue with the thrust of this successful approach. The consensus approach under Social Partnership of involving employers, employees and Government has also been a major contributor to this success," said Mr Martin.
Goodbody economist Dermot O'Leary said that the growth in migrant workers could be pushing down wages.
"The CSO has noted that almost 40 per cent of the increase in the labour force over the past year was due to immigrants. This has important implications for the labour market, as it has exerted downward pressures on Irish wage rates," said Mr O'Leary.
