Hiring, employment and business trends shaping the market across Fingal and North County Dublin.
North County Dublin continues to be one of the country's most active employment areas but what does the latest data tell us about the hiring market?
The latest figures show an Irish labour market that remains strong, while unemployment has edged upwards and earnings continue to rise.
Closer to home, businesses across Fingal and the Greater Dublin region continue to report challenges attracting and retaining staff, despite more than a third planning to increase headcount over the next 12 months.
For businesses hiring locally, here are some of the figures and developments worth knowing.
2.84 million
People were employed in Ireland in Q2 2026.
5.1%
Unemployment rate in Q2 2026, up from 4.8% a year earlier.
+3.9%
Annual increase in average weekly earnings.
1.3%
National job vacancy rate at the end of Q2, unchanged from Q2 2025.
Employment increased by 21,200 people year on year, while the labour force grew by 31,300.
Average weekly earnings reached €1,046.88 in Q2, compared with €1,007.58 a year earlier.
Taken together, the figures show an employment market that continues to grow, alongside a modest increase in the number of people unemployed.
For employers, the national data provides useful context, but the picture closer to home is particularly relevant.
Fingal Chamber's 2026 Business Environment & Economic Outlook Survey gathered responses from 245 businesses across Fingal and the wider Greater Dublin region.
One of the standout findings relates directly to hiring.
More than half of businesses reported difficulty recruiting and retaining staff.
At the same time, businesses remain positive about growth.
More than one third plan to increase staff numbers over the next 12 months.
And:
39% plan to increase investment.
For employers across the region, this creates an interesting hiring environment.
Businesses are continuing to invest and plan for additional headcount, while recruitment and retention remain significant challenges.
Housing, transport and planning were also identified among the infrastructure issues limiting business growth.
When it comes to attracting people to work in North County Dublin, those wider issues matter.
For businesses based in North County Dublin, location can be a significant part of attracting and retaining employees.
The Fingal Chamber findings provide useful context, with both transport and housing identified by businesses as barriers to growth.
At the same time, Fingal is home to one of Ireland's most significant employment hubs.
Dublin Airport's most recent economic impact study found that its activity supported 116,100 jobs nationally and contributed €9.6 billion in Gross Value Added to the Irish economy.
Its economic impact extends particularly strongly into Fingal and the surrounding North Dublin area.
Alongside the airport itself, the concentration of businesses around Swords, Airside and the wider region creates a substantial local employment market.
For employers, that means access to a large workforce.
It also means competition for people.
When someone is considering a new role, the job itself is only one part of the decision.
Location, accessibility, working arrangements, parking and the practical reality of the commute can all form part of how an opportunity is assessed.
For businesses hiring locally, these are worth considering at the very beginning of the recruitment process.
Swords itself continues to develop as an important regional centre for employment and business.
Phase Two of the Swords Public Realm works commenced in August as part of the wider Sustainable Swords programme.
The current works on North Street include new paving and footpaths, landscaping, upgraded pedestrian crossings and infrastructure improvements, with this phase expected to continue until December 2026.
The programme forms part of the longer-term development of Swords as a place to live, work and do business.
For businesses already operating in the area, or considering investment in North County Dublin, the continued development of Swords forms an important part of the region's longer-term economic picture.
Pay remains another important part of the hiring picture.
Average weekly earnings nationally reached €1,046.88 in Q2 2026, an increase of 3.9% year on year.
Average hourly earnings increased by 3.8%, while total hourly labour costs increased by 4.1%.
Looking over a longer period, average hourly earnings have also increased across sectors relevant to many North County Dublin employers.
Over the three years to Q2 2026, average hourly earnings increased by:
12.2% in Financial, Insurance & Real Estate activities
15.7% in Professional, Scientific & Technical activities
17.4% in Administration & Support Services
These are broad sector figures and should not be interpreted as salary increases for individual positions.
They do, however, provide useful context for businesses reviewing salaries or replacing someone who may have joined several years ago.
For hiring managers, benchmarking a role against the current market before going to market can help establish whether the salary and overall package remain competitive.
The Q2 data gives us a useful picture of the market.
Employment remains high.
Unemployment has increased modestly.
Average earnings continue to rise.
And locally, more than half of the businesses surveyed by Fingal Chamber reported difficulty recruiting and retaining staff, while more than a third intend to increase headcount.
For businesses planning to hire across Accountancy & Finance, HR and Business Support, understanding the market around the role remains important.
That includes salary.
But it also includes location, accessibility, working arrangements and the availability of the particular skills and experience the business needs.
North County Dublin has a significant employment base and continued investment across the region.
For employers, understanding how their opportunity sits within that wider market is an important part of attracting the right people.
The North County Dublin Hiring Brief is a quarterly update from Talent Choice, bringing together relevant employment data, local business sentiment and economic developments affecting employers across Fingal and North County Dublin.
The aim is to provide local businesses with a concise, factual view of the market to support better informed hiring decisions.
If you’re planning to hire across Accountancy & Finance, HR or Business Support, and would like to discuss the market or how Talent Choice can support your search, get in touch with me via link below:
https://calendly.com/vanessa-talentchoice/recruitment-proposal-talent-choice
Sources for this article.
Central Statistics Office — Labour Force Survey, Q2 2026
Published 20 August 2026. Employment, unemployment, labour force participation and employment rate data.
Central Statistics Office — Earnings and Labour Costs, Q2 2026 Preliminary Estimates
Published 25 August 2026. Earnings, labour costs and job vacancy data.
Fingal Chamber — Business Environment & Economic Outlook Survey 2026
Survey of 245 businesses across Fingal and the Greater Dublin region covering recruitment, retention, investment, headcount and barriers to growth.
Fingal County Council — Swords Public Realm Phase Two
Published August 2026. Information relating to the North Street works and wider Sustainable Swords programme.
Dublin Airport — Economic Impact Study
Independent economic impact research examining the employment and economic activity generated by Dublin Airport.
