Those claiming jobless benefits fell by 3,300 to a seasonally adjusted 402,800 and down from a high of 450,000 shortly before Ireland sought an EU/IMF bailout three years ago, data from the Central Statistics Office showed.

Economists polled by Reuters in November said they expected jobless benefit beneficiaries, who include part-time, seasonal and casual workers and are not seen as a fully accurate measure of unemployment, to fall to 405,000 by the end of 2013.

(Reporting by Sam Cage; Editing by Conor Humphries)