Wish it could be better but here's a snapshot of Ireland in 2012

Higher unemployment; more work-days lost to industrial action; more people at risk of poverty; more divorces; and less disposable income are just some of the bleak findings of a snapshot of Ireland in the past year.

The Statistical Yearbook of Ireland for 2013 released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) paints a comprehensive picture of Ireland in the last year in key areas such as population, education and the economy.

Despite recent positive news on the Live Register, the study found that the number of people unemployed last year stood at 323,000 — up 1.8% from the 2011 figure of 317,400.