Almost 5,000 more people on Job Seekers' benefit/allowance in Connacht than start of year

Galway Bay FM newsroom - There are almost 5,000 more people in Connacht on Job Seeker's Benefit or Allowance now than at the start of the year.

The CSO has released the figures for August, which shows there are now 23,107 people on the Live Register in Connacht.

That's up 4,796 on figures from January when there were just over 18,000 people here.

It coincides with the national picture, as there are almost 35,000 more people on such benefits in Ireland now than in the first month of the year.