The number of unemployed totalled 6,811 last month, up 3.4 per cent over a year earlier, the National Statistics Office said.

In the 12 months to December 2012, records of the Employment and Training Corporation indicated an increase of 224 applicants in the number of the registered unemployed.

Yet the number out of work dropped by 287, or four per cent, in December when compared with November, the NSO said.

Unemployment among men last year went up by 125, or 2.4 per cent, while 99 more women, or 6.9 per cent, were out of work.

The number of under-20s dropped by 70, or 14.4 per cent.

Those who were jobless for more than a year rose by 308, or 13.5 per cent, and people registering for work for fewer than 21 weeks fell by 124, or 4.3 per cent.