Clare's live register has fallen for the third successive month.
284 people signed off dole queues in April, bringing the total number of people claiming some form of unemployment benefit to 8739.
The figure is almost 800 less than at the same point last year, and is the lowest figure recorded in Clare since January of 2009.
Falls were recorded in each area of the county.
124 people left the dole queues of Ennis last month.
There, the figure stands at 4,850 and is the lowest level in four-and-a-half years, mirroring the countywide trend.
Indpendent Election Candidate for the area George Ati John is welcoming the statistics – but says we need more information on whether people are becoming employed or are emigrating.
The dole queues of North Clare shrunk by 85 last month, down to just over 1,400 while West Clare has seen a smaller reduction of 24.
Compared with this time last year, the total of 1,271 has reduced by just 44.
Kilrush Fine Gael candidate Marian McMahon Jones accepts that some of this reduction is due to emigration, and that she would like to see a quicker recovery in West Clare.
Areas associated with the welfare office in Tulla saw a reduction of 51.
The reduction in East Clare has been welcomed by Kilmurry-Sixmilebridge Fianna Fáil candidate Alan O'Callaghan, though he feels more initiatives are needed to help the long-term unemployed, and those who are looking to secure work for the first time.
