Nationally the number of people on the live register fell by 2,300 to 432,400 last month on a seasonally-adjusted basis, reversing a four-month trend which had seen a steady increase in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit since October.

The Border and Midlands seen the biggest decreases in the country with Leitrim dropping 49 people from January to February this year. But the total number of people on the live register in the county 3,586 is still 575 more people than were included on the register in February 2009.

Carrick-on-Shannon accounts for 2,682 people while Manorhamilton has 904 people on the live register.

The majority of people included on the register (1,992) are males over 25 years of age.

Annual comparisons suggest that the rapid increase in the numbers joining the live register since the onset of the economic downturn may be stabilising somewhat.

Although the decrease has been heralded as good news, the fact that the drop in numbers are predominantly due to increased emigration and more people returning to education means the situation still remains quite grim.