The unemployment rate fell to 3.7 per cent in the first quarter of the year according to the Quarterly National Household Survey published today.
The survey shows that while Irish job creation is still robust the rate of growth is falling from its peak in 1999.
There were 65,6000 persons unemployed by the end of March, a fall of 15,900 on the same period last year, the survey shows. The number of people at work increased by 59,300 in the first quarter, this compares to an increase of 95,600 last year in what was an exceptional year for employment growth.
The latest data show that while Irish employment growth is continuing to outstrip other EU countries the growth surge is slowing.
In 1998 and 1999 Irish employment growth was 6 per cent compared to an EU average of 2 per cent. In the first quarter of 2001 the rate of employment growth fell to 3.6 per cent but this is still well ahead of our EU neighbours.
Unemployment fell in all regions of the country in the first quarter. The jobless figure in the Border, Midland and Western (BMW) region fell by 19.1 per cent and by almost 20 per cent in the Easter and Southern region.