The number of people officially unemployed fell by over nine per cent in the year to the end of the first quarter of 2013.
The Central Statistics Office says there was a drop of almost 30,000 people to 292,000 - the first time the figure fell below 300,000 since the start of 2010.
The Quarterly National Household Survey also shows the number of people in long term unemployment dropped by just under 24,000 or 11.6 per cent by the end of Mrch.
Brian Ring - from the CSO - says the number of people in employment is increasing:
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