Meanwhile, Trade union SIPTU is accusing the government of moving to privatise local services for the unemployed which have been run as non-profits for years.

With the country emerging from lockdown, unemployment levels are beginning to drop as people head back to work.

County Longford recorded the biggest drop in the number of people unemployed last month in the Shannonside region. The county's live register dipped by

Over four hundred fewer people were availing of unemployment benefit last month compared to August across the Shannonside region. New figures from the CSO show