Monthly unemployment up slightly in March, CSO finds

The monthly unemployment rate for March 2026 was up to 4.7% from 4.6% in February, on an annual basis, according to figures released by the CSO.

When broken down in terms of gender, the monthly unemployment rate for men is at 4.7%, and this remained unchanged from February, but was up from 4.5% in March 2025.

For women, the monthly unemployment rate was 4.7%, which was up from 4.5% in February and up from 4.6% in March 2025.

The Youth Unemployment Rate for those aged 15-24 was 12.5% in March 2026, which was up from 12.4% in February 2026.

For those aged 25 to 74 years of age, the unemployment rate was 3.5% in March 2026, which is unchanged from February 2026.

Conor Delves, Statistician in the Labour Market Analysis section of the CSO, gave his views on the figures.

He said: “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for all people aged 15-74 years in March 2026 was 4.7%, up from 4.6% in February 2026, and up from 4.5% in March 2025.

“In March 2026, the unemployment rate for both males and females was 4.7%.

“The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed was 140,000 in March 2026, compared with 138,900 people in February 2026. r

“There was a rise of 7,000 in the seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed in March 2026 when compared with March 2025.

The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed males decreased to 73,900 in March 2026, compared with 74,900 in February 2026.

“The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed females in March 2026 was 66,100, up from 64,000 in February 2026.”