The number of people on the live register in Clare declined slightly in February.
According to figures from the Central Statistics Office, there were 9,242 people on the live register in the Banner county in February, compared to 9,418 in January. There were reductions in the number signing on at each of the live register offices, Ennis, Ennistymon and Kilrush.
In Ennis, the numbers went from 5,167 to 5,085; in Ennistymon from 1,605 to 1,567; and in Kilrush from 1,318 to 1,271. There were 10,058 people signing on in Clare in February 2013, meaning there has been a reduction of 816 in 12 months, a drop of just over 8%.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.