Over a period of 12 months, ie from March 2003 to March 2004, the number of those gainfully occupied full-time fell by 1,590.

In the month under review, employment in the private direct production sector increased by 82 persons in comparison to February 2004.

In relation to the same month in the previous year, the number gainfully occupied full-time in the production sector fell by 1,353.

Conversely, there was an increase of 43 jobs in the manufacturing sector in March 2004.

Numbers employed in the private market services sector rose by 122 people in March 2004 in comparison with February 2004.

There was an increase of 489 employed in the private market services sector on a year-to-year basis.

In March 2004, there were an additional 26 full-time employees in hotels and catering establishments. The wholesale and retail trade sub-sector had an increase of 75 people in full-time employment over the previous month.

In March 2004, the public sector had 53 fewer employees on its books. On a year-to-year basis, the public sector numbers fell by 641 employees.

Part-time employment

In March 2004, 18,896 people held part-time employment as their primary occupation. On the other hand, there were 15,434 people who held a part-time job in addition to their full-time employment in Match 2004.

4,159 people whose part-time employment is their primary occupation work in hotels and catering establishments.

3,049 whose part-time employment is their primary occupation work in the wholesale and retail trade. Government departments employ 1,721 part-timers whose part-time job is their primary occupation.

Registered unemployed

In March 2004, 8,420 people were registered as unemployed with the ETC. Of these, 7,746 were registering under Part 1, while 674 were registering under Part 2 of the unemployment register.

The registered unemployment rate stood at 5.8 per cent of the labour supply, with the registered unemployment rate for men standing at 6.5 per cent and the rate for women standing at 4.2 per cent.