Kilkenny now has lowest unemployment rate in country: report

Workers in Kilkenny have been the least affected by job losses throughout the pandemic, despite the crippling impact of Covid-19 on the local tourism sector.

However, figures published this week also reveal that one out of every seven workers in Kilkenny is now claiming some form of government assistance.

The figures were compiled by the Central Bank and published by the Irish Independent this week. They show the unemployment rate in Kilkenny now stands at 14.3%, the lowest in the country.

The figure nationally stands at roughly 20% of the workforce currently claiming some form of State assistance.

Kerry, which is heavily reliant on the tourism and hospitality sectors that have been decimated by the pandemic, is the worst affected county in the country, with  45% of the workforce claiming some sort of State assistance.

Donegal, Dublin, Louth, Wexford and neighbouring Carlow all had more than 40pc of their labour force on income supports in November, according to the newly released data.

Roscommon, Laois, Meath, Offaly and Cork followed Kilkenny as the counties least affected by the pandemic, but some of these counties still had close to 30% of their workforce claiming assistance.