1 Sep 2011

Irish dole numbers high

5:43 am on 1 September 2011

The number of people claiming the unemployment benefit in Ireland has risen to its highest level since records began.

A seasonally adjusted 449,000 people claimed the dole in Ireland this month, up 1600 on the previous month.

The figure was worse than expected and the highest since records began in 1967.

The unemployment rate is now 14.4%.