Increase in employment figures

There's been an increase in the number of people in employment in the second quarter of the year

More than 2.7 million people are employed, that's up over 70 thousand.

The Central Statistics Office has published the Household Budget Survey for Quarter 2 this year.

Two million 754 thousand 200 people aged 15 to 89 are in employment. That's up 71 thousand 500 on a year earlier.

The figures show the largest increase in employment by sector was in the professional scientific and technical activities , up 12.7 per cent.

However the sector with the largest decrease in employment was in Wholesale and retail trade , along with motor repairs down 7.3 per cent.

The employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 was 74.4 per cent, the highest rate since the series began in 1998.