Ireland’s estimated unemployment rate rose in October from the revised September level, with the number out of work increasing over both the month and the year. Female unemployment rose as the male rate declined. Young people had a substantially higher rate than older workers. October’s seasonally adjusted figures remain forecasts subject to revision.
Ireland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to an estimated 4.8 per cent in October, from a revised 4.7 per cent in September.[1], [2]
The Central Statistics Office, Ireland’s national statistics agency, published the figures on November 4. Unemployment among people aged 15–74 reached 143,600, an increase of 1,600 over the month and 5,900 over the year. The corresponding rate in October 2025 was 4.7 per cent.[1]
The female unemployment rate rose from 4.7 per cent to 4.8 per cent. Unemployed women numbered 68,100, compared with 66,100 in September. The male rate declined from 4.8 per cent to 4.7 per cent as the number of unemployed men fell from 75,900 to 75,500. Youth unemployment, for ages 15–24, increased from 11.4 per cent to 11.5 per cent. For ages 25–74 the rate held at 3.8 per cent.[1]
The October figures are forecasts using trends in Live Register, the series tracking unemployment-benefit recipients. Monthly estimates through September incorporate Labour Force Survey benchmarks through the third quarter. New monthly observations can change seasonal adjustments, and incorporating later survey results can produce larger revisions to the estimates.[1]
