The numbers claiming unemployment payments remained steady in January. Central Statistics Office (CSO) data released yesterday show there were 157,400 people on the Live Register last month, on a seasonally adjusted basis, compared to 157,000 in December.

The unadjusted total reached 160,139, 4,306 higher than December but down by 404 compared with January of 2005. December's Live Register had fallen by 2,983 year-on-year.

Some 31,277 of the unseasonally adjusted total of 160,139 were under the age of 25. Of the total, 80,969 reside in Leinster, compared with 46,587 in Munster, 18,891 in Connacht and 14,095 in Ulster. The number registered in Dublin was 41,103

On a month-on-month basis, unadjusted numbers - appropriate for comparing regional trends - show that numbers on the register rose in the midlands by 6 per cent, more than twice the national average.

The largest percentage increase was recorded in Longford, where the total numbers registered rose by 23.3 per cent. The Longford-based C&D pet food business owned by the family of former taoiseach Albert Reynolds closed last month due to fire damage with the loss of around 500 jobs, although a number were rehired.

The number of males registered increased in all regions but there was an rise of 7.8 per cent in the midlands compared with just 2.5 per cent in the west.

Registered females increased in all regions except the mid-west, where their numbers fell by 1.2 per cent.