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People are seen through the window, as they look at the list of jobs in an employment office, in Pamplona, northern Spain AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

Spanish unemployment level reaches 25 per cent

One Spaniard in four is now officially out of work, with 85,000 more people becoming unemployed between July and September.

ONE SPANIARD IN four is now officially out of work as the economic crisis tightens its grip on the country.

The National Statistics Institute said today that 85,000 more people joined the ranks of the unemployed between July and September, raising the total to 5.78 million. The figures brought the country’s unemployment rate up by around 0.4 percentage points in the third quarter to 25.02 percent.

For those under 25 years of age, the unemployment rate edged down marginally to 52 per cent from 53 per cent in the previous quarter. The institute said that over the past 12 months some 800,000 people had lost their jobs.

Spain is under pressure to ask for outside aid to help deal with its debts. The country is in its second recession in three years. It has already been granted a €100 billion ($130 billion) bailout facility for its troubled banks while many of its regional government are also in bad financial shape.

In September, the European Central Bank said it would buy unlimited amounts of bonds in countries struggling with their debts if they formally apply for aid. This has helped Spain by lowering its borrowing costs, but conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has held off triggering the actual purchases.

Debt crisis

Spain is one of the focal points in Europe’s debt crisis because if it defaulted or needed a full-blown bailout, the finances of the 17-country group that uses the euro could be severely stretched.

Rajoy’s government has introduced austerity measures and financial and labor reforms to convince investors it has a grip on its accounts but they have yet to show any positive effect on the economy.

The measures have led to many strikes and protests. The country faces its second general strike in a year November 14. On Friday, yet another rush-hour go-slow by subway workers caused traffic chaos in the Spanish capital.

Organisations such as the Spanish Red Cross and the Catholic Church charity organization Caritas say unemployment and the austerity measures are leaving tens of thousands of people in need of food and financial help. Caritas said the foundation run by Amancio Ortega — founder of the Zara store parent company Inditex — would donate €20 million to help buy food, medicines and school material.

Read: Mixed fortunes for ruling party in Spanish polls>

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18 Comments
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    Mute Pokey2013
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    Jun 9th 2014, 8:34 AM

    Good for her! This really is a no brainer as an industry for the west of Ireland.

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    Mute Ciaran Farrell
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    Jun 9th 2014, 10:07 AM

    It should be but this government through an uduras na gaeltachta company called arramara are trying to corner the market from erris hd to loop hd by applying for a license which would stop cottage industries from cutting seaweed in west mayo, Galway and Clare thus giving a monopoly. At the same time they are negotiating the sale of arramara teo to a private Canadian company. Think they’re holding out for a suitable price. 30 pieces of silver perhaps?Absolute disgrace and the deal being done quietly. This will shut down countless cottage industries and is getting little or no coverage.

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    Mute Hallie Burton
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    Jun 9th 2014, 10:13 AM

    Another scam being played out on us Ciaran.

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    Mute Ciaran Farrell
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    Jun 9th 2014, 10:52 AM

    It is indeed. The worst part of it is that in many villages on our western seaboard there are so few opportunities to ” turn a pound” that this will be devastating and nobody is shouting stop ( or at least nobody with influence on kildare st.). This is Minister Ring’s heartland yet he is strangely quiet for a lad who loved the soapbox when in opposition.

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    Mute Thors Big Hammer
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    Jun 9th 2014, 8:42 AM

    Fair play to this woman and her drive to to be successful.

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Jun 9th 2014, 12:14 PM

    I think she flew in actually .

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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Jun 9th 2014, 8:55 AM

    It is not an either/or choice. To grow your business all markets should be explored. The Irish home market is tiny and many of our indigenous industries would simply fold without overseas sales.

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    Mute Aaron
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    Jun 9th 2014, 9:14 AM

    Why would/should any business limit themselves to a single market?

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    Mute Dee4
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    Jun 9th 2014, 9:14 AM

    well done to the lady, there are increasing warnings not to consume anything from the Pacific. Japan and even the West Coast of the US should be great markets for her

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    Mute Hallie Burton
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    Jun 9th 2014, 10:12 AM

    We don’t eat enough of it ourselves.

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    Mute Hallie Burton
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    Jun 9th 2014, 10:38 AM

    Maybe someone could tell us where ‘sea vegetables’ are on sale in locally? I can get dried product in the Asia Market in Drury Street and very nice it is too. Try this site for lots of info http://www.seaweed.ie/uses_ireland/irishseaweedfood.php

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    Mute Michelle Blessing
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    Jun 9th 2014, 11:54 AM

    What a shame we are exporting to a country that carries out horrific atrocities against dolphins and whales in Taiji.

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    Mute Frank
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    Jun 9th 2014, 8:36 AM

    Japan still has a market for glow in the dark seaweed.

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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Jun 9th 2014, 9:37 AM

    Do you have a link for that, Frank?

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    Mute Frank
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    Jun 9th 2014, 10:46 AM
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