The number of people claiming unemployment benefit has significantly over the past six months, according to the latest Live Register data.
Calculations by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed that when adjusted for seasonal factors, the Live Register rose by 6,698 in the six months to April 2007.
Included in these figures is an increase of 5,646 (+5.4 per cent) in short-term claimants and This rise comprised increases of 5646 (+5.4 per cent) in short-term claimants and of 1,052 (+2.3 per cent) for persons signing on for over one year.
Of the claimants on the Live Register in April 2007, 34.6 per cent of males and 22.6 per cent of females were long-term claimants
The Live Register does not measure the level of unemployment - it includes temporary and part-time workers receiving benefit.