NW tops unemployment statistics

The north west has the highest levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland

The north west has the highest levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland, according to new government statistics.

The worst unemployment rate is in Strabane District Council, with 5.3% of people of working age unemployed.

Within the Derry City Council area 5% of people are out of work, and the rate is 4.8% in Limavady.

The average unemployment rate in Northern Ireland is 4.3%. Last month the number claiming jobseekers allowance increased by 3,100 to 34,100.

This is the largest monthly increase since October 1980.

A total of 3,448 people are now registered as unemployed in Derry, an increase of 772 since November 2007.

In Strabane 1,273 people are out of work, and 1,044 in Limavady - an increase of almost 100% since this time last year.

One-third of job losses in Northern Ireland were in the construction industry, but the government said other sectors were also being hit by the economic downturn.

'Not unexpected'

Economy Minister Arlene Foster said it was not unexpected, as the "pressure on jobs has been building for some time".

"The sharp decline in employee jobs and the marked increase in claimants show that the pace of change has quickened in recent months," she said.

"There are also signs that the construction-led downturn is now spreading into other areas of the economy, with sectors such as manufacturing facing increased difficulties."

Mrs Foster said it was "important to keep these changes in perspective".

"While the latest figures showed a sharp contraction in employee jobs over the quarter, the fall was from an historic high and our unemployment rate was still the lowest of the UK regions," she said.

"It was also well below the European Union average."