Foreign nationals account for 20% claiming dole

FOREIGN nationals account for one in five of the people claiming the dole, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office.

In May 2009, there were 396,871 on the unadjusted live register, up 96.7% from the 195,115 recording in the same month last year. As reported earlier in the week, the adjusted Live Register figure taking into account seasonal working was more than 402,000.

Every corner of the country has seen massive increases over the year to the end of May. In Dublin, the number on the register has risen from 47,859 to 95,184, an increase of 99%. There has been the same percentage increase in Limerick where the number claiming the dole has risen from 9,911 to 19,810.