THE Government has been urged to reassess its jobs strategy after the unemployment rate rose to 14.4%.

The Government was urged to reassess its jobs strategy after the unemployment rate rose to 14.4%.

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

THE economy grew by around 1.6% — in GDP terms — in the second quarter of this year, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) data published yesterday.

The Irish economy has returned to growth, with both home-grown industry and foreign multi-nationals improving business, official figures have revealed.

THE unemployment rate dipped slightly to 14.6% last month, official figures have revealed.

RISING inflation will put unsustainable pressure on working people and households, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has warned.

An additional 1,100 people signed on the Live Register in March, figures from the Central Statistics Office revealed today.

IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, said today that the increase in unemployment, detailed in CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey, was a serious concern and highlighted the need for the new Government to take urgent action to address the problem.

INDUSTRIAL output grew at its slowest pace since last April achieving a growth rate of 1.7% year-on-year in February.

The CSO has revealed that the volume of production for manufacturing in January of 2011 climbed 1.7% on January 2010.

DESPITE figures showing a decline in the number of dole claimants, economists are warning that employment levels will continue to plummet in 2011.

The number of people signing on for benefits increased by more than 5,700 in the last 12 months, official figures revealed today.

THE manufacturing sector returned to strong growth last year — up 15.7% — with experts saying it will help lead the economic recovery.

Latest industrial production figures released today by the Central Statistics Office were welcomed by business groups today.

THE prices of essential goods and services have increased for the first time since December 2008, with the latest inflation figures showing a sharp rise in the cost of mortgages, clothes, education, travel, alcohol and insurance.

PRICES are expected to continue rising and could be up as much as 1.4% annually by the end of 2011.

The cost of living increased in August, official figures revealed today.

The Live Register increased by 6,600 people in May, the largest monthly rise since August of last year.

CONSUMER spending and confidence are expected to stabilise as the year progresses, even though retail sales nose-dived by 17.3% in January.

More than 300 new jobs were announced today in the food sector as the Government faced damning criticism over unemployment.

The volume of retail sales in Ireland fell by 4.8% in January 2010 compared to January 2009, new figures from the CSO today revealed, while the value of retail sales decreased by 8.4%.

The numbers signing on the Live Register fell by 2,300 in the last month.

The latest industrial production data from the CSO has shown that turnover from manufacturing slumped by 11% last year.

IRELAND needs to identify key industries with significant job-creating potential and build its recovery around them, says IBEC economist Reetta Suonpera.

Employers' body IBEC today said that the National Accounts for the second quarter of 2009 from the CSO reveal further signs of stabilisation in the Irish economy.

ONE in seven of the male workforce and one in 12 of the female workforce are now unemployed.

More people are leaving Ireland than arrive for the first time since 1995 as unemployment passed the quarter of a million mark, it was revealed today.

Business lobby group IBEC said the latest employment figures showing an 8.2% drop in the numbers at work "emphasise the acute need for further labour market supports".

FIRST quarter figures show the economy collapsed dramatically, confirming fears the country is in the grip of the worst recession of any developed economy.

Employer's group IBEC today said that rising unemployment and deteriorating consumer confidence are causing the continued fall in retail sales.