ECONOMISTS have predicted that, even though the rate of redundancies is slowing, by the end of the year a further 17,000 people will have joined the 433,000 currently claiming the dole.

BUILDERS cut staffing levels again in February as figures show construction tender prices fell by 17.2% over the last 12 months.

The Government was today accused of abandoning those on the dole to look after bankers and developers as the unemployment rate hit a high not seen for 15 years.

ELSEWHERE in today’s paper (News Analysis, page 17) I have reviewed Michael Clemenger’s book Holy Terrors, dealing with life in the industrial school in Tralee in the late1950s and early 1960s. It evoked many memories for me, having grown up within a mile of the school.

AN extra 900 people joined the dole queues in November, after the previous month’s figure showed the first decline in the numbers signing on in two years.

THE pace of job cuts in the construction sector has started to slow, although latest figures show there is still a sharp deterioration in business conditions.

THE Irish construction sector continues to shrink rapidly on all fronts and is expected to decline further with almost half of those still engaged in the sector expecting to be engaged in less work this time next year.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen faced another blistering attack over the handling of the economy today after devastating new figures showed dole numbers rose for the seventh month in a row.