Recruitment firm predicts rise in new vacancies across Limerick

AN EIGHT percent rise in new vacancies and job openings in Limerick this year has been predicted by a leading recruitment firm.

FRS Recruitment, which has its Limerick operation at Denmark Street, has revealed that recruiters are forecasting a rebound in the national jobs market this year.

While Limerick is projected to record the eight percent bounceback, Clare's expected increase stood at 6%, with Kerry on 5%.
Cork showed the potential for one of the highest rises in the country, joining a cluster of counties expected to see a 10% uptick.

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At the other end of the spectrum, Leitrim and Longford are expected to record only 2% increases in job opportunities.

All this comes off the back of a challenging 2025 which saw a 17% decline nationwide in advertised job vacancies as employers took a cautious approach to hiring in the face of rising costs and geo-political uncertainty triggered by the trade tariffs announced by US president Donald Trump.

However, FRS Recruitment bosses have said they have witnessed a strong revival in the jobs market in the final quarter of last year, and this rebound is expected to continue throughout 2026, including in Limerick.

In its report, FRS Recruitment said Limerick had the highest demand - joined by Dublin, Cork and Galway- for nurse managers and specialists with postgraduate qualifications.

Lynne McCormack, general manager of FRS Recruitment said: “2025 was a challenging year for the Irish jobs market, with multiple headwinds creating a lot of uncertainty for companies to deal with. Despite the difficulties faced by my employers in Limerick last year, our recruiters are anticipating that the market will rebound next year. With a tariff agreement now in place, there is much more trading certainty for businesses, and I would expect to see a rebound in the jobs market for 2026.”

She said while the Irish economy is continuing to grow, the labour market remains tight, which means companies will need to compete for talent.

“It’s also likely we will continue to see trends around investment in artificial intelligence technology and automation continue this year, as well as increased focus by employers on return to office policies,” Ms McCormack predicted.

The report also showed with fewer job openings last year, candidates became more cautious - applying in higher numbers, but being more reluctant to move roles, especially where offers did not sufficiently offset cost-of-living pressures.