More job losses ‘inevitable’ as 2,900 join Live Register

ECONOMISTS have warned that more job losses are “inevitable” as Live Register figures for May show the highest monthly increase since July last year.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that 2,900 people joined the register last month, bringing the total number to 446,800. Men accounted for 2,000 of the increase.

The standardised unemployment rate for June was 14.2%, up slightly from 14.1% in May. The average unemployment rate during 2010 was 13.6%.