Number signing on drops 14% compared with last year

Some 274,385 people were signing on the Live Register in July, an increase of 2.1 per cent compared with June but a 14 per cent decrease on the same month last year.

On a seasonally-adjusted basis the register recorded a monthly decrease of 3,000 to 256,800 – the lowest number recorded in the seasonally-adjusted series since October 2008.

While both May and June recorded the lowest Live Register figures both in the adjusted series and non-adjusted series since 2008, the non-adjusted figures for July pushed above that threshold.

Male claimants continue to make up a majority of the register, with more than 151,000 signing on. However, this represents a 16 per cent drop in the past 12 months. The number of female claimants dropped by more than 15,000 to 122,872.

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Some 41.5 per cent of those on the register are long-term claimants, while the remainder are short-term claimants.

Part-time workers

Of the total Live Register, 20.1 per cent, or 55,247, were casual and part-time workers. This is up by 0.4 per cent on the previous year.

In July there were more than 24,500 new registrants on the register. A majority were on jobseekers’ benefit, with women accounting for 58.6 per cent of new registrants.

The number of claimants fell across all age brackets, with the number of those under 25 decreasing by more than 19 per cent in the last 12 months. On a monthly basis, however, the number of those under 25 on the register increased by 505.

Commenting on the youth unemployment figures, National Youth Council of Ireland director James Doorley said: “We are disappointed at the increase in young people signing on, and that today’s figures represent the third month in a row when the numbers have increased.

“This may, in part, be explained by seasonal trends. Of even greater concern is the high number of long-term unemployed young people.

“The overall decrease in youth unemployment since 2012 has been welcome; however, we must not lose sight of the underlying problem of long-term youth unemployment.”

The Live Register is not a measure of unemployment, as people with part-time work can be entitled to benefits.