UNEMPLOYMENT in Northern Ireland has risen slightly over the last quarter, latest figures have revealed.
From October to December last year, the number of people unemployed rose by 0.2 per cent.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster gave a ‘tentative welcome’ to an increase in the number of jobs, but said there some uncertainty over the timing of an economic recovery.
“There has been little change in the unemployment rate for the last quarter of 2012 and the number of people on the claimant count in January remained constant for the first time in over a year,” said the minister
“The rate of unemployment in Northern Ireland (7.8%) was equal to that in the UK (7.8%), and still compares favourably to the rates in the European Union (10.7%) and the Republic of Ireland (14.6%).”
She added: “Although an increase in jobs and output suggests a degree of stabilisation, it is only to be tentatively welcomed as it is still too early to draw conclusions.
“The UK reported a fall in quarterly GDP at the end of 2012 after growth in the third quarter, suggesting that the timing of any recovery remains difficult to predict.
“Nevertheless, there are areas of growth in the world economy and our continuing priority must be to help Northern Ireland businesses identify and target such demand, wherever it exists. Support for business will continue to be available through the wide range of Invest Northern Ireland initiatives that are tailored to meet individual business needs.
“I would actively encourage businesses to explore all potential market expansion options and utilise the funding support that is available such as the NI Small Business Loan Fund which aims to boost business confidence and help SMEs by ensuring that companies are not held back because they cannot access finance.”
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