Fewer in building trade on the dole

The number of construction workers claiming the dole has dropped by one fifth in just over a year.

According to figures from Social Protection Minister Joan Burton, the number of people in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit or Jobseekers allowance, at the end of June, was 343,301.

Of those, 84,685 had occupations which were either in or could be linked to construction activities.