Survey shows renewed economic confidence
Irish employment confidence is showing signs of recovery, according to results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
Regionally, employment prospects are more positive for the first quarter of 2004 than they were for the last quarter.
Connacht, Dublin and Ulster are all showing positive Net Employment Outlooks for Q1 2004 (8%, 6% and 6% respectively).
These are all well above the national average of 3%.
The national average is driven down by the Net Employment Outlooks in Leinster and Munster, which are both negative (-1% for both).
Dublin appears to be on a downward trend, showing the lowest employment outlook since the start of the survey two years ago.
Although Munster and Leinster are showing negative employment outlooks, they are up significantly on last quarter.
Year on year, however, the picture is not as positive.
Leinster, Munster and Dublin are showing considerable decreases year on year to -15%, -10% and -6% respectively.
Connacht and Ulster are the only two regions that are up year on year.
The next survey will be released on the March 16 2004 to report hiring expectations for the second quarter of 2004.
The survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' hiring intentions during the next quarter.
