Number of people claiming dole up 82.9% in past year

IN the past year the number of people claiming unemployment benefit increased by 197,495 to 435,735, or up 82.9%.

The unadjusted live register at the end of July rose from 418,592 in June, a jump in just one month of 4.1%.

Kildare, Meath and Wicklow have seen an increase of almost 100% while Dublin represents almost one quarter, 24%, of the national live register followed by the south- west, 14%; border counties, 14%; south-east, 13%; mid-east, 10%; mid-west and west, 9% and the midlands, 7%.