UPDATE 2-Rise in Irish unemployment slows in June

* Jobless rise less than expected, slowest pace since Sept

* 120 redundancies at eye care company Bausch & Lomb

* Packaging company Smurfit Kappa to shed up to 120 jobs

* Unemployment to reach up to 15.5 pct this year -PM

(Adds prime minister, worker's comment, shares)

By Andras Gergely

DUBLIN, July 1 (Reuters) - The number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Ireland rose less than expected in June and at its slowest rate since September, in a further sign that the pace of the economy's deterioration has eased.

The former "Celtic Tiger" economy is expected to be the worst performer in the industrialised world this year but recent data suggest that much of the contraction was suffered in the early months of the year.

June's live register tally, an indirect measure of unemployment that includes part-time workers, rose 11,400 to 413,500 on a seasonally adjusted basis, data showed on Wednesday.