October unemployment rate down from last month at 5%

Kenneth Fox

In October 2025, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.0 per cent, down from the revised rate of 5.1 per cent in September 2025, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

On an annual basis, the unemployment rate increased from 4.2 per cent in October 2024 to 5.0 per cent in October 2025.

Breaking down the results by sex, the monthly unemployment rate for males in October 2025 was 5.0 per cent, down from a revised rate of 5.1 per cent in September 2025, and up from a rate of 4.4 per cent recorded in October 2024.

The monthly unemployment rate in October 2025 was 5.0 per cent for females, unchanged from the revised rate in September 2025, and up from 4.0 per cent in October 2024.

In terms of age, the monthly unemployment rate for people aged 15-24 years (Youth Unemployment Rate) was 13.4 per cent, up from a revised rate of 13.3 per cent in September 2025.

The monthly unemployment rate for people aged 25-74 years was 3.8 per cent, down from the revised rate of 3.9 per cent in September 2025.

Commenting on the release, Conor Delves, statistician in the labour market analysis section, said: “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for all people aged 15-74 years in October 2025 was 5.0 per cent, down from a revised rate of 5.1 per cent in September 2025, and up from 4.2 per cent in October 2024. In October 2025, the unemployment rate for both males and females was 5.0 per cent."

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed was 147,400 in October 2025, compared with 149,100 in September 2025. There was an increase of 26,800 in the seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed in October 2025 when compared with October 2024.

The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed males fell to 77,500 in October 2025, compared with 79,400 in September 2025. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed females in October 2025 was 69,900, up from 69,600 in September 2025.