More than 15,000 people have been on jobseeker's allowance for over a decade straight, figures from the Department of Social Protection have revealed.

Of the 15,255 people who have been on the weekly payment for at least a decade, 4,037 are in Dublin.

There are also high numbers of claimants in Cork, Donegal, Galway, Louth and Wexford, which all have at least 700 people who have been on the allowance for more than a decade.

The Department of Social Protection released the figures to Newstalk under a Freedom of Information request.

Bríd O'Brien from the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed said there are many reasons that a person might be unemployed for a long time and that finding a job gets more difficult the longer a person goes without one.

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She said people can face discrimination as they try to re-enter the job markets, including "postcode-ism" - or prejudice based on where a person lives.

"There are a variety of reasons that people struggle to find work," said Ms O'Brien. "These can include ethnicity, the area a person is from, their family background. The duration of unemployment presents a challenge.

"If you're in work, you hear about other jobs. If you are out of work, you are out of the loop. It can be harder for people as they get older. Ageism is a reality in our labour market. Getting a job is a job in itself. Services should offer wrap-around support so that the main person dealing with a person can draw down on other support."

Jobseeker's allowance is paid to people over 18 looking for full-time work. If a claimant has been getting the allowance for more than 15 months, they can be eligible for the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme, allowing them to work part-time and get a special allowance.

Jobseeker's allowance is €208 a week for those aged over 18 who live independently. If a claimant is aged between 18 and 24 and does not live independently, they will receive €117.70 a week.