Over 4,000 people in the Shannonside region are being paid jobseeker's allowance.
Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary says it includes 1,064 in Leitrim, 1,456 in Longford, and 1,574 in Roscommon.
People are paid a maximum of €254 a week through the allowance.
Advertisement
Independent councillor Micheál Frain, from Ballaghaderreen, says the figures are disappointing:
