Pace Of Unemployment Slows

The latest figures from the Dublin government statistics office have revealed the number of people signing on has slowed to its lowest rate of increase so far this year.

The Central Statistics Office said the number of people signing on for benefits last month had increased by 4,321 in August.

This compares with a rise of more than 17,000 in July.

The current figure of those signing on is 440,056, and despite the slow last month, the amount of claimants is still an enormous 200,000 more than this time last year.

Responding to the publishing of the figures today, Labour Party Leader Eamon Gilmore said that a figure in excess of 400,000 was "truly shocking" and required a new focus of attention from the Government.

"Unfortunately the figures are likely to get even worse, with job losses being announced on a daily basis and the Construction Industry Federation warning earlier in the summer of the likely loss of an additional 100,000 building jobs as a result of cuts in the capital programme," Mr Gilmore said.

He added: "The government appears to have thrown in the towel on unemployment and seems resigned to figures on the live register going over 500,000."

However, the CSO has noted that the live register is not designed to measure unemployment as it includes part-time and seasonal workers. Unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey, which recorded an jobless rate of 10.2% at the end of June.

(DW/BMcc)