THE RATE OF unemployment in Ireland remained at 14.7 per cent last month, as the numbers signing on to the Live Register increased by 1,100, according to stats published by the Central Statistics Office today.

442,000 people were on the register at the end of March, up from 440,900 on February and slightly above the January mark of 441,700. When seasonal adjustments were removed, the number stood at 441,200.

The number just 6,800 off its peak of September 2010, when 448,000 people were signing on. At that point, however, the unemployment rate was 14 per cent – significantly lower than it is now.

82,500 of the people on the register are under the age of 25, though almost 10,500 males stopped claiming jobseeker’s allowance in March – most likely due to emigration – while 11,112 young men began claiming the dole in the same period.

Similarly, 5,651 young women began to claim the dole, while 5,147 women stopped claiming it.

Almost two-thirds of claimants on the live register are male – with 238,711 males in receipt of benefits compared to 121,126 females.

Workers whose last jobs were in crafts and related professions make up the largest portion of claimants, with 27.5 per cent of people on the register listing such work as their last job.

The live register is not a straightforward measure of unemployment, but also includes people who work up to three days a week and other seasonal and casual workers who are still entitled to either jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s benefit.