Irish unemployment rate falls to 6.1 percent in January

DUBLIN: Ireland's unemployment rate fell to 6.1 percent in January from 6.2 percent a month earlier, the state statistics office said on Tuesday, as the labour force continues to move steadily towards full employment.

Ireland's central bank estimated last week that the rate, which jumped to a high of 16 percent in 2012, would fall to an average rate of 5.2 percent next year and approach the point where just about everyone who wants a job has one.