DUBLIN (Reuters)

Ireland’s unemployment rate reached its highest level in two-and-a-half years in July, rising to 4.7% from an upwardly revised 4.5% the previous month, according to data from the Central Statistics Office released on Tuesday.

Data from March to May, which had previously indicated record low unemployment rates of 4% for each month, have also been revised upward. This adjustment indicates that unemployment has been steadily increasing for five consecutive months, starting from 4.1% in February.