Fall in Live Register numbers - CSO

Figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the number of people signing on for unemployment benefit fell in October.

Read the full report here.

The seasonally adjusted figure dropped by 3,000 from September to 422,500, which is the first decline for more than two years.

The headline figure dropped by 7,447 to 412,407, although it is still almost 65% ahead of the same month last year.

The unemployment rate fell back slightly from 12.6% in September to 12.5%.

Cowen hopes for 2010 recovery

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has told the Dáil he hopes to see growth return to the economy next year.

Mr Cowen also said the number of people on FÁS job training courses this year is twice that of last year.

He was responding to a question from Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny who said many more small businesses will have gone to the wall by the end of November.

Mr Kenny wanted to know if the Government had a job creation strategy, especially for young people.

Mr Cowen has also told the Dáil that no section of expenditure can be immune to possible cuts.

He was responding to Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, who asked if Mr Cowen really intended to cut social welfare payments.

Brian Cowen told the Dáil the idea that you could say there was 35% of current spending that could not be touched did not take account of the seriousness of the situation.

He was responding to Mr Gilmore, who supported the call from Saint Vincent de Paul for the restoration of the Christmas social welfare bonus and for no cuts in rates.

Mr Cowen said the Government had rightly increased payments during the good times, but the only way to provide support into the future was to get back to a sustainable level of public finances.

The Taoiseach also told the House that the idea that the Opposition has a monopoly on compassion is erroneous.

He said it was imperative that jobs were created and maintained, so that the engine of the train can pull the other carriages. He said this was a priority.

Mr Gilmore accused him of penalising the poorer sections of society, while protecting the wealthier.

Elsewhere, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin has said that no key Budget decisions have been made yet.

Speaking in Dublin earlier, the Minister said that cuts in her own department will only be decided on once the cut in the public service pay bill has been determined.

The Minister also warned that child benefit would not be left untouched.

Ms Hanafin said that she will not be implementing all of the cuts in social welfare recommended by the McCarthy report.

She also said that a short, sharp adjustment was needed in December's Budget.

Rate of job losses slowing - FÁS

The latest quarterly commentary from FÁS shows that the rate of job losses is slowing down.

However, figures released by the State training agency show men under 24 are the worst affected by unemployment.

According to FÁS, in the three months from July to September, unemployment rose at its slowest rate in two years.

However, it puts this decline down to increased emigration and a lower number of young people in the labour force because many are choosing to extend their studies.

In this latest quarterly commentary, the agency reveals that the number of professionals seeking employment has risen by 84% compared to last year.

However, men aged 15-24 are the worst affected, with three out of ten men in their early 20s currently unemployed, while four out of ten in their late teens are also out of work.

The number of new apprentices entering the workforce is down 60%, with construction-related apprentices down 72%.

FÁS states that the employment outlook remains poor and predicts a reduction in the 'buffer effect', where employers have been minimising job losses by reducing staff from full to part-time hours.