Irish Dole Queues Now Longer Than 1998

Figures released by a Government statistics office have revealed another 10 year high has been reached on Ireland's dole queues

The latest numbers from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed a total increase of 9,100 in August, up from a July high of 226,000, and the highest level of unemployment in the past decade, up by almost 42% in the last year.

According to the figures, 7,400 of the increase was males with only 1,700 being females. Such a disparity is commonly linked to major falls in the construction industry.

Following the publication of the figures, Fine Gael have taken the opportunity Ireland is again the 'Sick Man of Europe under Fine Fail'.

Fine Gael Enterprise Spokesman Leo Varadkar said the true scale of Fianna Fáil's economic policies is becoming apparent as Irish unemployment breaks the 6% barrier for the first time in 10 years,

"Latest live register figures show unemployment is up 42% in the last 12 months, an increase of 73,178 people signing on. Since the start of the year some 66,000 more people have joined the dole queues."

The Minister however added that while the dole queues are growing in Ireland they are falling across Europe.

"In the last month alone 9,100 have joined the live register, or 2,250 a week.

"This cannot be explained away by the global credit crunch and rising oil prices," said minister Varadkar.

"The EU's statistics agency Eurostat fingers Ireland and Spain as the only sick men of Europe, as both have recorded large increases in unemployment.

"Fourteen of the 27 member states now have lower levels of unemployment than Ireland."

(DW)