The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed has described today’s Live Register figures as "shocking".
Speaking at a meeting of the executive of the INOU, general secretary Mr Tony Monks said the Live Register only decreased by 2.9 per cent this year compared to 22 per cent last year.
"The whole country is aware that post-September 11th changes in the economy were likely," Mr Monks said.
"However today's figures prove that the slowdown in Ireland had already begun. While we welcome the fact that the Live Register only increased by 200 persons this month, the annual fall, when compared with recent years is very startling".
According to figures released this morning, the Live Register decreased by 8,889 people in September 2001 to 140,550.
After adjusting for seasonal factors, the Live Register showed a slight increase of 200 in the month. The seasonally adjusted total increased from 141,200 in August to 141,400 in September.
However, in the year to September 2001, the Live Register fell overall by 4,382 people.
The standardised unemployment rate in September was 3.7 per cent. This compares with 3.7 per cent in April 2001, based on the Quarterly National Household Survey.