Figures from the Central Statistics Office show that there was another big jump in the number of people on the Live Register last month.
The number of job seekers signing on for dole payments rose by almost 1,000 per day during the month of June, by far the highest amount ever recorded.
It brought the total on the dole to 220,811 - the highest for a decade.
The total increase in unemployment during the month was 19,055, which is 47% higher than the previous monthly record back in 1986.
The increase during June was evenly split between men and women.
Today's figures mean the jobless total has risen by a third, or 54,448 over the 12 months - the biggest annual increase on record.
The seasonally adjusted figure rose by 10,100 from May to 217,400. May marked the first time in nine years that the level had risen above the 200,000 mark. The unemployment rate moved up to 5.7%.
There were increases in all regions, with the biggest of 10.4% in the West and the smallest (8.9%) in the Border region.
On Tuesday this week the Department of Finance said the surge in unemployment this year would cost the exchequer an additional €500m in welfare payments.
