Dublin, Nov 18 (IANS): The Irish unemployment rate hit 8.9 percent, the lowest since the end of 2008, according to official figures.

The figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed that 135,800 extra jobs were created since the start of 2012, when the unemployment rate was 15.1 percent in February, Xinhua reported.

The total number of people unemployed moved below 200,000 for the first time since the end of 2008, according to the CSO figures.

The figures showed that jobs grew in all eight regions since the action plan for jobs was launched in 2012.

The Irish government set the target of reducing unemployment to below nine percent by the end of 2015.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said there were still many people around the country who were not yet feeling the benefits.

"There is still a long way to go before we can say we have replaced all the jobs that were lost, before we can attract young emigrants home in large numbers, before we can have jobs available for all the unemployed," he said.