My Department closely monitors the performance of the labour market, and outcomes for a variety of vulnerable cohorts, including young people. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate for November is 4.9 percent, and has been between 4 and 5 percent since January 2022, excluding one month: September 2025, when it stood at 5.1 percent. This is the threshold conventionally considered full employment in Ireland.
The youth unemployment rate stands at 13.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Unemployment rates for young people are typically higher than for the population overall.
2025 has seen participation in the Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) increase by 38.9% compared to 2024, with participation for under 30s increasing by 53.3% compared to 2024.
Pathways to Work 2021-2025, the government’s national employment services strategy and overall framework for activation and employment supports, sets a target of 40% youth participation in the WPEP scheme. This target has been exceeded in every year of operation, as set out in the table below:
|
Age Group
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
Totals
|
|
18 – 24
|
70
|
94
|
92
|
105
|
152
|
513
|
|
25 - 29
|
26
|
62
|
76
|
77
|
127
|
368
|
|
Totals
|
96
|
156
|
168
|
182
|
279
|
881
|
|
% of Overall participants
|
52.5%
|
48.3%
|
41.3%
|
47%
|
45.1%
|
45.9%
|
747 participants aged between 18 and 30 have completed WPEP placements, with 134 placements currently active. Of the 747 who have completed the programme, 295 (39.5%) moved to employment and a further 13 (1.7%) have progressed to further education.
Ireland’s efforts to support the youth population into employment are collected in Pathways to Work 2021-2025. The Pathways to Work commitments fulfil Irelands' obligations under the Reinforced Youth Guarantee (RYG). The RYG is a pledge by the Member States of the European Union to provide a good quality offer of employment, education, or training to those under the age of 30 within 4 months of becoming unemployed.
Measures in respect of supporting the youth population into employment gathered in Pathways to Work include:
• A more intensive model of engagement with young people profiled as being at risk of long-term unemployment has been implemented with the frequency of engagement with a case officer increasing from once a month to once a fortnight in respect of young people profiled as being at risk of long-term unemployment.
• JobsPlus is an employer incentive which encourages employers who offer employment opportunities to individuals who are unemployed. In line with the RYG early access has been granted to those under the age of 30, who can access the payment after 4 months on a qualifying payment.
• The Work Placement Experience Programme, www.gov.ie/en/service/95fe1-work-placement-experience-programme/ (WPEP), launched as a Post-Covid recovery measure in 2021, is a 6-month voluntary work and training experience programme.
• The launch of the updated Employment and Youth Engagement Charter (EYEC) - www.gov.ie/en/publication/cb239-the-employment-and-youth-engagement-charter/ The EYEC is a Call-To-Action to employers to commit to using Government employer incentives and supports and to recruit jobseekers and other priority customers, including young people, people with disabilities, lone parents and members of the Traveller and Roma communities.
My Department has commenced work on a successor Pathways to Work strategy for the period 2026-2030, informed by a public consultation process, engagement with the community and voluntary sectors, regional workshops, and an analysis of labour market research, trends, and international best practice.
