Building fall off cause of low job rates

A SLOWDOWN in the construction industry was blamed yesterday for a four-year high in the rate of unemployment.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show the unemployment rate was 4.8% last month — its highest since July 2003.

The Live Register, when seasonally adjusted, shows an increase of people signing on from 164,200 in September to 164,700 in October.