The Government has formally abandoned its target to have full employment in Ireland by 2018.

It has now pushed the target back to the year 2020 - after admitting it is too difficult to get jobs for everyone within three years.

Unemployment now stands at 8.9% - compared to over 15% at the start of 2012.

But Enda Kenny admits getting to 6% - which he considers full employment - is harder than expected: “I think it’s more realistic, obviously, yes, 6% is full employment by 2020.

“It is important that we set out that stall, the difficulties that we faced this year are a continuation of the great difficulties for the last number of years, but now it is moving on very strongly.”