THE NUMBERS on the Live Register fell by 2,200 last month – a minor drop that did not lower Ireland’s unemployment rate.

Seasonally adjusted figures from the Central Statistics Office show 426,100 people signing on last month.

That number is down by 10,400 from twelve months earlier.

On average, four out of nine people signing on have been on the Live Register for twelve months or more.

However, the proportion of male long-term claimants has fallen over the last year – with 1,065 males dropping out of the ‘long term’ category, while 4,496 females entered it.

When broken down by age, well over half of the numbers who have left the register over the last twelve months were aged under 25; 6,401 young people left the register either because they found work, entered into education or training, or left the country.

Under-25s now account for 15.7 per cent of all people signing on. Non-Irish citizens account for 17.8 per cent, with nationals from the more recent EU accession states making up just under 10 per cent, ahead of UK citizens at 3.89 per cent.

The register includes both people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (306,361) and Jobseeker’s Benefit (84,433), as well as people with only casual part-time work for up to three days a week (89,798) and others.