Unemployment rate rises to 4.8% in October as number of jobseekers increases.

The monthly unemployment rate for October was up to 4.8%, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The unemployment rate was up from a revised rate of 4.7% in September, and from 4.7% in October.

When it came to gender, the monthly unemployment rate for males in October was 4.7%, and the unemployment rate was 4.6% for females in October 2026.

The CSO said that the youth unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 was 11.5%; this was up from a revised rate of 11.4% in September.

When it came to those aged 25 to 74, this remained unchanged at 3.8% from the revised rate in September 2026.

Conor Delves, Statistician in the Labour Market and Earnings Section, said: “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for all people aged 15 to 74 years in October 2026 was 4.8%, up from 4.7% in both September 2026 and October 2025. In October 2026, the unemployment rate for males was 4.7%, and for females was 4.8%.

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed was 143,600 in October 2026, compared with 142,000 in September 2026. There was a rise of 5,900 in the seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed in October 2026 when compared with October 2025.

The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed males decreased to 75,500 in October 2026, compared with 75,900 in September 2026. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed females in October 2026 was 68,100, up from 66,100 in September 2026.”