Lisburn jobless total jumps after Christmas

Figures for january show there are now 2,961 registered as unemployed - a rise of nearly seven per cent on the December figure.

The increase comes after several months when the total had dropped and means there are now 820 more people without a job than January 2009 - a rise of 38%.

The Lisburn figures are reflected across Northern Ireland where the jobless total rose by over 3,000 to 56,170.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said that while the Northern Ireland unemployment rate was recorded at 6.0% during the fourth quarter of 2009, lower than the UK average of 7.8% and below the Republic of Ireland rate of 12.9% the latest monthly increase in claimants was the largest for several months.

"These results emphasise that the ongoing impact of the economic downturn is still very much with us" she said.

"Most economic commentators believe that unemployment will continue to rise during the first half of 2010, before a sustained economic recovery is translated into jobs growth. The latest claimant count and redundancy figures indicate that this may indeed be the case.

"Our aim remains the same – to provide practical help and support to Northern Ireland businesses to ensure that job losses are minimised. It is imperative that businesses hold onto their key skilled employees if they are to take advantage of the opportunities that a global recovery will undoubtedly bring."