The level of employment grew by 4.4 per cent last year amid strong growth in the health and construction sectors.
The CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey shows there were 2,066,100 persons employed in the fourth quarter of 2006, representing an increase of 85,500 or 4.3 per cent in the year.
Apartments under Construction near Sherrif Street. Pic: Alan Betson
This compares to an annual growth rate of 4.2 per cent in the previous quarter and to a rate of 4.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2005.
The CSO noted the numbers employed in the construction sector and the health sector increased by 28,400 and 18,700 respectively - which accounted for just over 55 per cent of the annual increase in the numbers employed.
The CSO employment level grew by an average of 86,700 persons or 4.4 per cent in 2006 compared with an average growth rate of 4.7 per cent in 2005.
The number of males in employment in 2006 increased by an average of 48,600 or 4.3 per cent, while the number of females increased by an average of 38,000 or 4.6 per cent.
There were 88,700 persons unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2006, representing a seasonal decline of 16,100 on the quarter and an annual decline of 2,600 on the same quarter last year.
The CSO noted that non-Irish nationals are "tentatively" estimated to have accounted for a little over 44,000 or almost 52 per cent of the annual increase in the numbers in employment.
Although the number of unemployed persons fell year on year down by 2,600, it is estimated that there was an increase of 2,500 in the number of unemployed foreign nationals.