New figures from the Central Statistic Office (CSO) show that the unemployment rate was down to 10.6 percent in December - 0.1 percent less than the previous month.

This might sound like a slight decrease - but it means that 3,300 less people were signing on. The unemployment rate was 12.4 percent in December 2013.

The total number of people on the Live Register is now down 18.9 percent from its August 2011 peak of 448,800. The seasonally adjusted total amount of people who were unemployed last month amounted to 363,900 - representing an annual decrease of 39,299.

While unemployment is falling gradually - 46 percent of those who signed on in December are long-term claimants.

72,362 casual and part-time workers were on the Live Register in December, this is 20 percent of the total number.

New registrants numbered just under 24,000 - this figure consists of 10,145 Jobseeker’s Benefit claims, 12,569 Jobseeker’s Allowance claims, and 1,255 making other claims.

The legacy of the crash in the property market is still evident - almost 20 percent of the people who signed on in December were from the 'craft and related' occupational group.

Three quarters of those who left the Live Register last month were male.