Irish finance jobs proliferate

The financial services employment index rating for August was 54.8, compared to 52.2 a year earlier. Any measurement over 50 indicates an increase in employment, so this signals that staff levels are now rising at a more rapid pace.

Chief economist at NCB Stockbrokers, Dermot O'Brien commented that was "very positive" and painted a "buoyant picture" of growing employment levels within the financial services sector.

"Business activity in financial services is growing strongly," Mr O'Brien added. The financial services activity index increased to 57.3 last month, up from 53 in August of last year.

Irish services employers in general recorded strong growth in staff numbers in August, with the overall employment index reaching 59. While this suggests that the rate of increase in employment levels within financial services was outpaced by other sectors last month, Mr O'Brien said that seasonal factors may have been at play.