Call for increased benefits after black year for jobs

LAST year was a black time for jobs, with the second highest level of redundancies since 1984, new figures have shown.

With 24,969 losing their jobs in 2004, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed called on the Government to reintroduce a pay-related benefits scheme.

Eric Conroy, INOU general secretary, claimed welfare payments needed to be increased to match the contributions made by workers during their careers.