New statistics show the number of people at work bounced back strongly after the easing of Covid restrictions.
The figures from the CSO show employment rose by 10 per cent in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same time last year.
The biggest rise was in education, where the number of people at work jumped by 20 per cent.
CSO statistician James Dalton says the pandemic had a major impact:
"The effect of the easing of the public health restrictions in quarter two of 2021 is apparent from the results. Over the year, employment increased by 211,000, and unemployment increased by 63,000, resulting in an increase of 274,000 in the overall labour force."
