The level of unemployment has fallen for the first time on an annual basis since the start of the economic downturn.

A new report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) says there was a 1.1% drop in the 3rd quarter of the year.

However the CSO figures also show that the number of people in long-term unemployment is continuing to rise.

The number of people unemployed is down year-on-year for the first time since the onset of the crisis meaning the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has also fallen slightly during July, August and September from 14.9% to 14.8%.

However the quarterly national household survey also shows that the number of people in long-term unemployment is still rising.

It now accounts for just under 60% of the total.

1.8 million in employment

Meanwhile out of a total labour force in Ireland of more than 2.1 million people over 1.8 million are in employment.

But in the year up to the end of Septmeber the overall labour force decreased by 7,900 which the CSO says was mainly caused by people emigrating from the country.

Brian Ring is a statistician at the CSO.

He says it means that almost 3 in every 5 people officialy jobless are long-term unemployed and out of work for more than 12 months.