Northern Ireland has more people in employment than ever previously recorded, according to figures released today.
The Quarterly Employment Survey estimated that, as of September 2007, there were 720,210 jobs filled in the North.
The figure represents a net increase of 1,450 over the quarter and 12,010 over the year. However, the rate of unemployment is up 0.6 per cent on the last quarter to 4.0 per cent and the level of economic inactivity remained around 27 per cent - the highest level in the UK.
The survey also relates to the period before a recent series of job losses hit the province. In late October 900 people were made redundant at electronics firm Seagate in Limavady.
Two weeks later another 70 jobs were lost at Huco Lightronic NI, also in Limavady. While a fortnight ago more than 200 people were left looking for alternative employment after Cloughmills haulage firm Reid Transport went bust.
Economy minister Nigel Dodds said those "setbacks" had to be viewed in the context of other significant job creation developments, such as the 1,000 advertised positions in the new Victoria Square commercial centre in Belfast.
He said he was confident the employment market would continue to shows signs of growth. "Obviously whilst there have been setbacks there have also been many new jobs created," he said.
"We have to look at this in the long view. I can't speculate what the next quarter's figures will be but we are working extremely hard to create the economic conditions where the overall number of people in employment will continue to increase and we will also continue to try to keep down unemployment and inactivity rates."
Mr Dodds said he was most pleased that jobs in the private sector had risen. "It is encouraging to note that the entire increase in jobs over the year is accounted for by the private sector, which increased by some 12,830 jobs during the last year," he said.
"The private services sector in particular recorded an annual growth of close to 10,000 jobs and has continued to be the driving force in jobs growth in Northern Ireland.
PA