Unemployment rates in Kerry rise 160% in 5 years

The number of unemployed people in Kerry jumped by a massive 160% in five years, mainly due to collapses in the construction and retail sectors.

The figures, produced by Teagasc in advance of a rural development meeting in Tralee next week, show a massive leap from 4,842 to 12,598 in the period 2006 to 2011.

However, more alarmingly, Central Statistics Office figures reveal 16,825 people signed on for unemployment benefit in Kerry in the first month of 2013.