CSO figures show unemployment below rate of autumn 2008
The unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since the autumn of 2008.
The Central Statistics Office says the rate was 7.8% this month, down from 7.9% last month and a drop of nearly 2% on the 9.6% rate a year ago.
There are now 169,700 people unemployed compared to 208,000 in May of last year.
The youth unemployment rate for people aged 15-24 years was 15% in May, down from 15.3% the month previous to that.
Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has welcomed the figures, but says concern remains for rising numbers of people being unemployed for more than five years.
