Anger as number of jobless rises by 9%

THE Government has been accused of being over reliant on foreign companies yesterday as the numbers out of work hit a three-year high in April.

More than 173,000 people signed on last month a 9% increase on this time last year and the highest figure since December 1999, according to the Live Register's seasonally adjusted figures.

The Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed (INOU) has accused the Government of focusing too much on attracting foreign investment and not giving enough support to indigenous companies.