Employment have risen by 4.5% (74,000 people), and unemployment continued to fall to 4.1% in 2000.

Problems in employment performance

Ireland's economic and employment performance has been very good. In 2000 the overall employment rate at 65.1 % was higher than the EU average for the second year running and the already low unemployment rates continued to fall for all groups. These developments indicate a further tightening of the labour market and some structural problems still exist:
– Whilst labour supply shortages have increased in recent years and have fuelled wage inflation pressures, the employment rate for women (despite recent increases) has only just reached the EU average (54%) and the gender gap in employment remains high.
– In this context, further effort is also needed to boost the low rates of participation in further learning, especially amongst those in employment.
– Considerable regional disparities – in employment and unemployment rates but also educational levels and earnings – risk impeding sustained and balanced development.

Continued efforts are required in response to the employment guidelines and recommendations concerning:

– increasing labour market
– participation rates, particularly amongst women;
– lifelong learning, especially in-company training;
– regional disparities.

Ireland should therefore:
1. pursue further its comprehensive strategy to increase labour supply and employment rates. Particular efforts should be undertaken to mobilise and integrate further into the labour market economically inactive people, in particular women, by removing tax barriers, increasing the number of affordable childcare places and taking action with the aim of reducing the gender pay gap;

2. pursue efforts to sustain productivity growth and upgrade skills and qualifications in the workforce, through increased emphasis on in-company training and the further development of lifelong learning, including the setting of overall targets, and in this respect promote active involvement of the social partners in implementing the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness;

3. in the context of the Spatial Strategy programme, address imbalances in employment, unemployment, job creation and human capital endowment between various areas in Ireland.
.