Unemployment up slightly in November
Ireland's unemployment rate increased to 14.5% in November, up 0.1% on the previous month, figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) published today indicate.
Some 1,700 people joined the Live Register in the month, the CSO said.
A total of 448,600 people are now unemployed across the country.
The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises association (ISME) said the continued rise in unemployment show that the Government needs to take immediate action in the upcoming budget to stimulation jobs creation.
“The Government needs to recognize that it is enterprise that creates jobs, particularly labour intensive smaller companies," said ISME Chief Executive Mark Fielding.
"It would make sense therefore to concentrate on immediately introducing pro-enterprise polices, which will assist businesses to retain employment and to quickly create jobs.
"Proposals such as VAT hikes, sick pay schemes, motor tax and excise duty increases will have the opposite effect and will only encourage enterprises to cut back further and shed jobs”.
