Unemployment figures released yesterday gave the first indication of the effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The data show a slight rise in the seasonally adjusted numbers of people signing on.

According to the Central Statistics Office, which compiles the register, unadjusted figures show the numbers of people signing on fell by 3,630 in March to 135,885, the lowest level since March 1981.

However, when seasonal factors are taken into account, the live register showed an increase of 300 on the previous month, bringing the total to 137,800 - the first such increase in nearly two years. The standardised unemployment rate, measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey, stood at 3.6 per cent, unchanged from last month.

Welcoming the figures, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, said that, despite the impact of foot-and-mouth disease, the actual fall in the live register confirmed the success of Government policies in generating more flexible employment opportunities.

"I am also confident that, with our continuing success in containing the disease, those who find themselves without a job will be back working shortly," the Minister said.

However, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed has said that the foot-and-mouth crisis and cross-sectoral job losses since January have focused many people's minds on the reality of unemployment.

The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs confirmed it had now received applications from 585 people for unemployment payment as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The Labour Party spokesman on social welfare, Mr Tommy Broughan, welcomed the decrease in the overall numbers but warned that the increase in the seasonally adjusted figure meant the State was not "totally out of the woods" in relation to unemployment.

Mr Pat Rabbitte, the party's spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment, said the tourism sector was hurting far more seriously than the figures indicated. He called for "a more nuanced message" about the impact of foot-and-mouth to replace the conflicting messages being given out by the agriculture and tourism sectors.

The latest CSO figures show the numbers on the live register fell in all regions, except the midlands. The number of men signing on rose by 1,300, with a 1,000 fall in the number of women on the seasonally adjusted register.