The Jobs Minister is adamant employment is the answer to emigration despite a new study showing nearly half of those leaving here were in full-time jobs.

While just under 40% of these left to travel.

And despite not experiencing the same level of unemployment as Spain or Greece, more people have left Ireland during the recession than any other Western European country. 

Today's emigrants are also much more likely to have a high standard of education than the general population. 62% of recent emigrants had a third-level qualification, up from 47% of the rest of the country's 25-34-year-olds.

A new report from the University College Cork (UCC) Department of Geography and the Institute for Social Sciences in the 21st Century of almost 3,000 respondents also found that emigration has the greatest effect in rural parts of the country. At least one-in-four households in extremely rural areas has seen a family member leave since 2006. 

Another 28% said it was likely a family member would leave within the next three years. 

Speaking to Newstalk's Political Correspondent Páraic Gallagher, the Jobs Minister Richard Bruton says there is only one answer to this problem.

Read the rest of the results from the report:

• Over 17% of Irish emigrants worked in Ireland in the construction or construction-related industry
• A significant proportion left to find another job or to attain job experience not available to them at home (43.6% combined)
• Underemployment was a major driving factor, with 13% of emigrants working in part-time jobs before their departure
• Almost 23% of those leaving were unemployed before departing. The great majority of those unemployed left to find a job (76%) or to gain work experience (8%)
• The vast majority, over 70%, of emigrants are aged in their twenties when they depart. There is a roughly equal divide between the 20-24 and 25-29 age cohorts
• Over 15% of emigrants are aged in their thirties, with approximately twice as many aged in their early thirties (30-34) than their later thirties (35-39)
• The UK and Australia are by far the two most popular destinations for Irish emigrants. Canada is becoming an increasingly important destination, especially as 10,700 2-year working holiday visas will be available for Irish citizens in 2014
• Whilst emigrants gave an average rating of 5.5 out of ten for their quality of life at home before departure, the equivalent average rating for their quality of life abroad measured 7.9 out of ten
• 28% of emigrants had previous experience of living abroad, which may have helped them to settle in their more recent destinations
• 80% agree or strongly agree that they are accepted by people in the country that they live in
• 16% of households have experienced the emigration of a member since 2006. The emigration of a family member can be a difficult experience for many left behind
• Emigrants are generally extremely well informed about current affairs in Ireland
• Over 70% of emigrants frequently read Irish newspapers online
• The overwhelming majority of the Irish population support emigrants' right to vote in presidential (79%) and general elections (69%) in some form or another
• Although 39.5% out of all recent emigrants would like to return to Ireland in the next three years, only 22% see it as likely. 82% of all emigrants said that improvements to the Irish economy would improve their likelihood of returning
• Less than 10% of emigrants on visas of a fixed duration intend to return to Ireland when their visas expire. 68% would like to extend their visas if possible. It is difficult to predict whether people will always be successful in attaining an extension or permanent residency as it often depends on various factors in the country hosting emigrants
• Over 70% of emigrants use Skype and telephone calls to regularly maintain contact with family and friends in Ireland. Over 90% of emigrants use Facebook and other social network sites to keep updated