The number of people signing on for unemployment assistance rose marginally in October when seasonal factors are taken into account, according to the latest figures today.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the number of people on the register rose by 100 to 155,400. This compares to decrease of 2,900 in September.
October brought to an end four successive months of falls in the numbers signing on the register. Over the year to October, there has been an unadjusted decrease of 1,138 (-0.8 per cent) in the number of people signing on.
In October 200 men joined the register, and 100 women left the register.
Although the Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment, the CSO has extrapolated that the standardised unemployment rate last month was 4.4 per cent.
Labour enterprise spokesperson, Ruairi Quinn, said that this morning's Live Register figures showing an increase in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate indicate that the drop in unemployment during September was "a blip against the ongoing trend."
Mr Quinn said: "Ignoring September's figures the Live Register has been increasing every month since the beginning of 2006. Rising inflation, particularly in energy costs, is putting more and more businesses at risk."
"The Government is failing to take action. Manufacturing is particularly at risk, and I have been inundated with calls from small and medium manufacturers who are unable to compete on international markets because of the rising cost of doing business in Ireland."
