Jobless hits record levels in Offaly

Live register numbers have hit a historic high in Offaly, according to official statistics. Figures from the Central Statistics Office show that a massive 9,601 people signed on the register in Offaly during June. That's a 3.9% increase from the previous month, and is the highest number on the live register in modern history. The figures have been described by independent Tullamore town councillor Sean O'Brien as "simply alarming". "The latest unemployment figures are simply alarming and show that the economy is slumping even further. The figures for Offaly and the midlands in general are worse than the rest of the country." The surge in numbers is due to record levels of people signing on in both Birr and Tullamore during the month. In Birr, there were 2,620 on the register, up 125 people on May and an increase from the previous high of 2,537 last July. The picture is similar in Tullamore, where 4,464 signed on during June, a rise of 195 since May. The June figure for the county's capital town is also a record, up from the 4,312 in February last. In Edenderry, there was also an increase during June, up from 2,477 the previous month to 2,517. It's the second highest number on the register in the town in modern times. Cllr O'Brien said: "Rising unemployment figures has a big knock-on effect on the retail and services sector with less spending and there is then a loss of jobs in those areas also. "Unemployment among males is particularly bad with many well qualified tradesmen and graduates losing jobs. So many young people are emigrating and but for this the figures would be even worse still. "The Government simply must act decisively to bring confidence back into the economy and take radical measures to enable employers to sustain and create jobs. The whole political system has a responsibility to the people to get this country going again; people want positive action and ideas and are fed up with the usual mudslinging and side shows."