Numbers out of work to top 15% next year

UNEMPLOYMENT will reach more than 15% next year, meaning the numbers out of work will have doubled since the last quarter of 2008, according to Government figures.

In an economic outlook attached to this week’s budget, the Department of Finance projected that unemployment would reach 12.6% this year and 15.5% in 2010.

The latter figure means 340,000 people will be out of work next year, the department said.