The number of people on the Live Register increased by 12.9 per cent in the year to April 2002 with men comprising of the majority of the increase, according to Central Statistics Office figures released today.
Some 157,492 people were signing on in April this year a rise of 17,973 on the same period last year - an increase driven by a sharp increase in short-term claimants.
The CSO figures show that almost 74 per cent of those signing on were short-term claimants - signing on the Live Register for less than one year.
Almost 74 per cent of those signing had been on the register for less than three months, according to the CSO.
The Live Register does not measure unemployment and includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment assistance or benefit.
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