IBEC concerned with unemployment figures

IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, said today that the increase in unemployment, detailed in CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey, was a serious concern and highlighted the need for the new Government to take urgent action to address the problem.

CSO figures for the fourth quarter of 2010 show that, on a seasonally adjusted basis, employment fell by 16,200 in the quarter and the unemployment rate increased to 14.7% from 13.7% in the third quarter of 2010.