By Business & Finance 
The latest official employment figures from the Central Statistics Office show that 135,800 extra jobs have been created since the start of 2012.
The unemployment rate has hit 8.9%, the lowest rate since the end of 2008, and down from a high of 15.1% in February 2012.
The figures published today also show am increase in all eight regions since the Action Plan for Jobs was launched by the current Government, with the largest increases witnessed in the south-east (14.4%), the midlands (13.8%) and border counties (12%).
In the last year 56,000 extra jobs were created, with employment growing in 12 out of 14 economic sectors, with largest increases in construction and industry.
Minister Richard Bruton TD said: “Every job created is a life back on track, a family improved, a community enhanced. It is also job-creation that allows us to grow tax revenues and ultimately improve services and cut taxes, and that is why we have made employment our very top priority. Today’s news is an important milestone which gives us confidence that the plan is working, but we must keep our eyes on the prize, and continue carefully implementing the policies necessary to deliver the jobs we need.”
Minister Ged Nash TD added: “I am particularly pleased to see the long-term unemployment rate has fallen from 6.4% to 5% in the past year. Yes, that figure is still too high and we need to do more to ensure that those who have been without work for a year or more are assisted in gaining the skills and confidence to reap the benefits of our jobs recovery. I’m also pleased to see that the vast majority of the jobs created are full-time jobs, which is in keeping with my agenda to ensure the jobs we are assisting to create are decent jobs which pay well and allow people to have a better standard of living.”
