ESRI reports slight fall in job vacancies
The Economic and Social Research Institute has reported a slight fall in the number of companies with job vacancies last month.
In its latest vacancies survey, conducted in association with FÁS, the think-tank said the total number of companies with unfilled positions had fallen from 16% in December 2005 to 14% in January 2006.
This was mainly caused by a significant reduction in the number of retail firms seeking new employees.
The construction and services sectors both experienced an increase in vacancies, while the number of industrial firms with unfilled jobs remained stable at 16%.
Elsewhere, the ESRI said its January survey found employers in the retail sector were more optimistic about future job prospects than at any time since October 2002.
However, 'employer sentiment' in the industrial sector is at its lowest in two years.
