THE unemployment trend has risen for the first time since the middle of last year, with an increase of 1,100 in the seasonally adjusted total last month. However the live register total of 260,600 in March was still 18,800 below the same month last year.

The Coalition parties pointed to the overall downward trend in recent months, but the Opposition criticised the Government on the basis of the rise in the underlying total.

The Government said that the increase last month was due to Easter falling in March rather than April. This led to an increase in the number of people in temporary jobs in areas such as education signing on during the holiday period, according to a statement from the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa.

The unadjusted unemployment total actually fell last month by almost 1,900. However, a larger fall would normally be expected during March due to normal seasonal trends, leading to the increase in the adjusted total.

Mr De Rossa, in a statement, pointed out that the total was the lowest March figure since 1991. His Department has assisted over 17,000 people to return to work under the Back to Work allowance scheme, he said.

Fianna Fail spokeswoman Ms Mary O'Rourke said the figures showed that "despite all the Government glitzy weekly new job announcements, there was still a major unemployment crisis". She said it was "scandalous" of the Government to claim that it was contented with the jobless situation.

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU), in a statement, said that the 1,100 increase in the seasonally adjusted total during March "is worrying and should act as a reminder that, despite our economic boom, unemployment is not going away".

The INOU points out that there has been no reduction in the level of long term unemployment since October.