Unemployment, as measured by the Live Register, rose above 160,000 for the first time in 18 months in June, according to figures published yesterday by the Central Statistics Office.

The seasonally adjusted total was 160,300, an increase of 1,500 on May and 3,800 up on the same period last year.

In the first half of the year, the number of people on the register, which measures those availing of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit, has risen by 3,330.

The standardised unemployment rate in June was 4.5 per cent.

"The Live Register makes it clear that last year's unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent was consistent with full employment," said Davy economist Rossa White. "The labour market is now a little less tight, probably due to rapid immigration, evidenced by last week's softer wage data for industry and construction."

The register is estimated to include 20,179 casual or part-time workers, 60 per cent of them women. In June, the CSO calculates that women accounted for all the increase in the seasonally adjusted figure.

However, Mr White said the figures did not suggest "any great deterioration in the labour market". "It has to be remembered that the labour force is growing at an annualised rate of 100,000 people," he said.

Labour employment spokesman Ruairí Quinn said that the "continued rise in Live Register figures should sound alarm bells".

"It is many years since we have witnessed such a continuous underlying trend of increased unemployment in our economy," he said.

"If Government Ministers are not sitting up and taking notice now, we must seriously question their ability to manage the economy."