New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the seasonally adjusted Live Register increased by 600 people to 171,800 people in May from April.
The CSO said the unadjusted Live Register total stood at 167,107 people in May, of which 56.5% were men.
This marked an increase of 4,838 people or 3% when compared with May of last year.
Today’s figures show that the 25-34 years age group made up the largest number of those on the Live Register in May at 24.1% of the total.
They also reveal the counties that recorded the largest percentage increases in the number of people on the Live Register were Limerick, with the numbers up by 8%, while the rose by 6.7% in Dublin.
The largest decreases were seen in Donegal, with the Live Register figures there down 4.3%, while they fell by 3% in Clare.
The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment as it includes part-time workers as well as seasonal and casual workers who are entitled to Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Figures earlier this week from the CSO showed that the country’s unemployment figure moved up to 4.9% in May from 4.8% in April, and up from 4.6% the same month last year.
The jobless rate has hovered at, or just below, 5% for most of the past 12 months.
