---

Building activity still lags pre-pandemic levels

Official figures show that the volume of activity in the construction sector is still behind pre-pandemic levels, despite a recovery in the final quarter of 2021.

Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures also show that the easing of COVID-19 restrictions reduced the unemployment rate in February.

The CSO said that its measure of activity in the building sector showed a 6.2% increase in the final quarter of 2021, compared with the previous quarter.

The index, however, was up just 0.1% compared with a year earlier, and the CSO said it was still more than 6% lower than the pre-pandemic figure for the final quarter of 2019.

Residential activity lower

A breakdown showed that residential and non-residential construction activity recorded falls compared with a year earlier – down 1.8% and 2.3%, respectively.

Activity in the civil-engineering sector, however, jumped by 11.4% over the 12 months.

Separate CSO numbers showed that a measure of the unemployment rate that includes those on the PUP dropped from 7.8% in January to 7% in February.

The rate was 27% in February last year, when tight COVID-19 restrictions were in place. The PUP has been closed to new applicants since July.

The standard measure of unemployment held steady at 5.2%.