The numbers of people on the dole in Carlow and Kilkenny is continuing to fall.
Figures released show that they fell 6.6 percent in Kilkenny and 5.6 in Carlow over the past year and have fallen for each of the last 20 months in a row.
Senator Pat O Neill from Kilkenny says 17 thousand of the 61 thousand people who returned to work this year after being on the dole were in the South East.