The numbers of people claiming the dole fell to a seasonally-adjusted total of just under 396,900 last month, the lowest since April 2009. The figure was exactly 30,000 or 7% less than a year earlier when 426,900 people were on the Live Register.

The number of people officially unemployed fell by more than 9% in the year to the end of the first quarter of 2013, according to the Central Statistics Office.

Almost two in five mothers have blamed the recession for their decision not to have any more children.

Long-term unemployment now accounts for over half the number of people out of work, according to the Central Statistics Office.

THE ranks of the long-term unemployed have grown to over 140,000, the Irish workforce’s highest ever.

The number of people in employment fell by 3.7% or just under 71,000 people during the year to the end of the third quarter of 2010 - the lowest decline in two years.

THE number of people in employment fell by 5.5% in the first quarter of 2010, with 108,000 leaving the workforce over the previous 12 months, according to the latest Quarterly National Household Survey.

OF the 155,000 people who joined the Live Register in the first quarter of last year, only a sixth started the second half of the year in a new job, figures from the Central Statistics Office show.

The ISEQ index weakened 53.51 points to 2,701.83. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is predicting that Irish GDP will fall by 13.5% between 2008 and 2010, and unemployment will rise to 15.5% next year.

One in 10 of the Irish workforce could to be on the dole queue by the end of next year as the economic crisis continues to deepen, according to a leading firm of stockbrokers.

Ireland's official unemployment rate increased from 5.4% to 6.3% in the past three months, according to figures published by the CSO today.

Unemployment in Ireland has hit a new five-year high, according to the latest Quarterly National Household Survey.

THE construction and services industries continue to fuel employment growth in Ireland, according to the latest figures released by the CSO.

SSIA holders have indicated that they will spend just under one third of their cash windfalls on consumer items such as foreign holidays and cars.

CHILDCARE costs have soared by more than 23% in just over two years with the average bill now exceeding €120 per week.

THE Irish economy is maintaining its dynamic performance with new figures showing the creation of 87,000 jobs last year - the highest annual increase in five years.

COMPANIES should put more effort into hiring unemployed people locally rather than engaging in large recruitment drives abroad, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) has said.

Companies must fend off stiff competition to ensure the country maintains the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, it was warned today.

The seasonally-adjusted Live Register total increased from 155,900 in February to 159,000 in March, an increase of 3,100.

The seasonally-adjusted Live Register total decreased from 163,700 in September to 162,100 in October, a decrease of 1,600, according to figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

THE economy is back on a buoyant track with 1,000 jobs being created a week and up to 28 major IDA job investments expected later this year.

THE number of people signing on the Live Register fell by more than 2,000 in November the lowest in a year, figures released by the Central Statistics Office confirmed yesterday.

IRISH consumer spending and sentiment is weakening, according to data from the Central Statistics Office and the IIB Bank/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index, published yesterday.

The GESI plant in Clonshaugh is laying off 75 staff in a bid to remain competitive.