Recruitment and HR services firm Collins McNicholas has reported a 20 per cent rise in job vacancies registered with the company in the first three months of 2016.

The company said the number of candidates registering has also increased, by 26 per cent, in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the last quarter of last year.

"This is further evidence of positivity in the job market as confidence builds amongst jobseekers. We can now be cautiously optimistic about an Irish recovery," Collins McNicholas managing director Niall Murray said.

However, Mr Murray warned volatility in the global economy, and the potential repercussions from the Brexit vote in June could impact the Irish economy.

Ireland’s unemployment rate currently stands at 8.6 per cent, having fallen steadily from 9.8 per cent over the last 12 months.