NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED CONTINUE TO FALL
The number of people out of work has continued to fall.
There was a drop of 1,800 signing on the Live Register in March, according to the Central Statistics Office today.
The rate of unemployment fell to 11.8 percent – that’s down from 13.7 percent a year ago, or 34,000.
The CSO says the number of people signing on for unemployment benefits now stands 396,000.
At the height of the recession, our unemployment figures peaked at 15.1 percent.
Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said she’s very pleased at the figures.
“This is the lowest that the Live Register has been in five years” she said.
“We have along way to go in terms of making further progress and getting people back to work – but as you know, I have made the focus of the Department of Social Protection actually helping people to get back to work” she added.
