The numbers of people signing on the live register continued to increase in December, according to the Central Statistics Office.
The numbers of people signing on is at a four-year high and the unemployment rate is at a five-year high.
Last month there was a seasonally adjusted rise of 2,100 in the numbers of people signing on.
Of those, 1,900 were men and 200 were women - an indication that lay-offs in the construction industry could be responsible for a large part of the rise in numbers.
The development brings unemployment rates to 4.7 in December, the highest level since 2003.
November saw the biggest rise in six years when an additional 5,000 signed on.
Rising unemployment has been expected as economy slows.
In the Budget, the Department of Finance forecasted that unemployment would rise to 5.6% this year.
