The number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose by 1,500 in June lifting the unemployment rate to 4.5 per cent, new figures show.
The seasonally adjusted Live Register total increased from 158,800 in May to 160,300 in June, according to the Central Statistics Office.
The month-on-month figures show that number of claimants rose for a third straight month in June while the unadjusted total exceeded 160,000 for the first time in 18 months.
Though today's headline figures appear to show a deterioration in the labour market, economists point out that the labour force is growing at an annualised rate of 100,000.
"The Live Register makes it clear that last year's unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent was consistent with full employment. The labour market is now a little less tight, probably due to rapid immigration, evidenced by last week's softer wage data for industry and construction," commented Rossa White, economist with Davy stockbrokers.
Though the Live Register is not intended to be a measure of unemployment, adjusting the jobless figures from the Quarterly National Household for the monthly changes in June shows that the standardised unemployment rate in June was 4.5 per cent.