New figures show rising unemployment

Date: 4th June 2010

The number of unemployed people in Ireland is continuing to rise, according to new figures.

Live Register figures released earlier this week by the Central Statistics Office have revealed that after "hovering" for three months at the 433,000 mark, unemployment increased by 6,600 in May.

This means the standard unemployment rate now stands at 13.7 per cent.

According to the Small Firms Association, the figures are evidence that there is a lack of government policy to halt the rise.

Avine McNally, the organisation's acting director, said: "Whilst small Irish businesses have taken a series of actions to regain cost-competitiveness within their own businesses, many costs remain which are outside their control as they are government controlled.

"In the absence of reductions in these costs, small businesses will have no option but to further reduce the costs that are within their control and this will inevitably mean a further loss of jobs."

Posted by Jacob Williams