Unemployment in Northern Ireland has again fallen substantially to reach its lowest level in 17 years, according to British government figures released yesterday. The seasonally adjusted statistics show a drop of 1,600 since last month to 62,600 - 8.1 per cent of the workforce - and are 24,100 down on last July. The figures also indicate that manufacturing output is continuing to grow and is rising faster than in the rest of the UK.
Male unemployment far outstrips that of women - 49,300 against 13,300 - but has shown a drop of 17,500 over the year. The Northern Ireland Index of Production increased by 1.3 per cent compared with the previous quarter and by 2.6 per cent over the year.
Manufacturing output increased by 1.3 per cent over the quarter and by 3.2 per cent over the year. The figures were welcomed by the North's Economy Minister, Mr Adam Ingram. He said that he was particularly pleased to see a further substantial fall in the numbers of long-term unemployed - a decrease of 5 per cent in the month and almost 30 per cent over the year.
"The latest employment estimates show record levels for the first part of the year, and growth in manufacturing output is outpacing the rest of the UK," he said.
"We must now concentrate on promoting the best aspects of Northern Ireland to the rest of the world. Our economy is in very good shape."
However, the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions challenged the figures and condemned the new Labour government for continuing to use the old Tory model for calculating unemployment.
"For the past 18 years in opposition, the Labour Party criticised the method of calculating unemployment.