Government extends its target date for reducing unemployment

The Tanaiste says the number of emigrants returning home is part of the reason why the government has pushed back its target for full employment.

The coalition had set 2018 as its target to get unemployment down to 6 per cent, which it considers to be full – but it's now been pushed back to 2020.

Unemployment currently stands at just under 9 per cent, having been over 15 per cent three years ago.

But Joan Burton says it'll be harder to maintain the downward trend because of the numbers who are coming back into the workforce from abroad.