Government urged to rethink jobs strategy

THE Government has been urged to reassess its jobs strategy after the unemployment rate rose to 14.4%.

Official figures revealed the long-term unemployed accounted for 56.3% of those out of work between July and September, with 177,200 people on the dole queue for over a year.

The CSO said unemployment rose by 15,700 over the previous year to the third quarter, coming to 314,700.