The number of people out of work rose by 7,554 last month, the biggest rise in January recorded since 1993. Among those claiming unemployment benefit for the first time were 330 Tara Mine workers, forced into temporary redundancy when the Co Meath zinc mine closed last November.

Some 200 workers laid off by fish processing group Red Sail were also included in the figures, along with workers laid off by Youghal Carpets and those made temporarily redundant at Waterford Crystal.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures showed the number claiming unemployment benefit rose to 159,960 or 156,300 on a seasonally adjusted basis. However, the latest live register statement covers a longer-than-usual period, from December 21st to the end of January. This is because the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs closed down its systems before the last week of December to prepare for the changeover to the euro.

The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, expressed concern yesterday that the jobless trend was continuing to rise. "Obviously, these figures are a cause for concern," he said. "There is no doubt that the effect of the foot-and-mouth crisis contributed to the increase in the live register. In addition, our tourism industry is further affected since the tragedy on September 11th." He said he was concerned that people in particular industries would continue to lose their jobs in coming months, but said he did not expect the job losses to continue in the long term.

Among the losses yet to show up in the official figures are the 2,000 people being made redundant by Aer Lingus, the 230 jobs going at electronics company Volex in Castlebar and the 127 jobs being lost at Dublin-based Fujitsu Isotec.

Fine Gael described the increase in the unemployment figures as "extremely worrying"."This is the largest monthly increase for many years and jobs will now play a central role in the forthcoming general election," its spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment, Mr Charlie Flanagan, said.Labour also condemned the Government for "its singular failure to address the growing jobs crisis".

The seasonally-adjusted standardised unemployment rate rose to 4.1 per cent in January from an estimated 4 per cent in December - and the highest since June 2000.