The number of people claiming benefits rose again in January to push the unemployment rate to an eight-year high of 4.9 per cent, according to data released from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) this morning.
According to the CSO's Live Register, some 179,400 people were claiming benefit last month, an increase of 7,800 during January, and some 22,000, or 14 per cent higher than the month in 2007.
Significantly more males applied for benefit in January than females, with 6,400 men and just 1,400 women added to the register.
The register is not designed to measure unemployment and includes part-time and seasonal employees in receipt of allowances or benefits.
