NUMBERS SIGNING ON FELL BY 4%

The number of people on the live register in Dundalk fell by over 4%, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The latest figures show that 4,358 people are now in receipt of unemployment benefits in the Dundalk area, compared with 4,235 the previous month.

The number had been rising every month in Dundalk over the last few months, having reached a record low in February this year.

In the county as a whole, the number of people on the dole was 8,896 at the end of August, down over 5.1% compared at the end of July.

The figures emerged as Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd highlighted the number of people at work in the State is now almost 25,000 higher than it was before the crash.

‘2.2 million people are now at work in the country according to the latest CSO figures.

This surpasses the previous employment peak in 2007 by over 25,000, meaning that all of the jobs lost in the economic catastrophe suffered by this country have now been restored.

Over 129,000 jobs have been created in every part of the country since this Government was formed in 2016.

O’Dowd said ‘Louth is benefitting as unemployment has decreased in every single region of the country.

There are over 74,000 more people at work since this time last year. Our enterprise-based economy is now creating over 1,000 jobs a week.’

He claimed that since 2016, 58% of new jobs have been created outside of Dublin.

‘Only a strong economy supporting people at work can provide the public services needed to deliver the kind of society we all want to live in.

‘ The buoyant jobs markets means that 30,000 people in part time jobs have moved into full time jobs.’

‘For the individual themselves, returning to work after a period of unemployment can boost a person’s confidence and self-belief.’