There are currently 2.5 million people working in Ireland.

  Ireland's employment level is currently at 73.5% in new date released from the Central Statistic Office (CSO). According to The Labour Force Survey Quarter 2 2022, the employment rate for people between 15-64 is up 68.6% on the same quarter last year. That same survey states that, "This is the highest employment rate in the current series which began in Q1 1998." https://twitter.com/CSOIreland/status/1562741744948899842?s=20&t=IquAwHwdFVaiEwhDz04wPg Absences from work were at an all-time high in Q2 2020 due to the pandemic, sitting at 468,500, or 21.9% of the working population. This dropped to 220,900 in Q2 2021, and even further again to 187,200 in Q2 2022. Hours worked per week have also increased significantly in the last two years. 61 million hours were worked in Q2 2020, 75.9 million in Q2 2021, and now 83 million in Q2 2022. Tanáiste Leo Varadkar responded to these statistics, saying Ireland's high employment level was not something to be taken for granted and that the government aims to continue assisting struggling businesses. Header image via Shutterstock READ ON: Gardaí warn of loan scam targetting vulnerable people online