The number of people out of work has continued to fall.

There was a drop of 1,800 signing on the Live Register in March, according to the Central Statistics Office today.

The rate of unemployment fell to 11.8% - that's down from 13.7% a year ago, or 34,000.

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said she's very pleased at the figures:

The CSO says the number of people signing on for unemployment benefits now stands 396,000.

At the height of the recession, our unemployment figures peaked at 15.1%.

83,400 people were on employment activation schemes, such as Job Bridge, during March.

All statistics produced by the Central Statistics Office