Concerns over rise in unemployment

THE latest rise of over 4% in the number of long-term unemployed people signing on the Live Register is very worrying, according to the Irish Organisation for the Unemployed.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) yesterday revealed the number of long-term unemployed signing on the Live Register rose by 4.1% in the six months to October this year.

While the CSO figures also showed a 6.1% drop in the numbers of short-term unemployed signing on in that same period, the Irish Organisation for the Unemployed said it was very concerned about the rise in long-term claimants.