Numbers on Live Register down 11% on annual basis

The number of people signing on the Live Register continues to fall, declining by 1.4 per cent in April, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Last month a further 4,400 individuals left the register, reducing the seasonally adjusted total to 312,700.

On an annual basis, the numbers of people on the register fell by 37,766 people or 11 per cent to 305,785 individuals.

The number of long-term claimants declined by 12.8 per cent versus April 2015 to 139,222. Long-term male claimant fell by 15, 765 or 15.3 per cent over the year, while female claimants decreased by 4,051 or 8 per cent.

According to the data, the number of people aged 25 or less on the register fell by 8,916 or 19.4 per cent versus April 2015. Annual decreases in young people on the Live Register have occurred in all months since July 2010.

Craft and related occupations still dominate with 19.3 per cent of those on the register working in such professions. The numbers in this group leaving the Live Register however, declined by 9,469 or 13.9 per cent over the year to 58,899.

There were 23,671 new registrants on the register last month, the figures show.

The Live Register includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers who are entitled to jobseekers benefit or allowance.

CSO began publishing a new series of monthly unemployment estimates in June 2015. The latest figures, published earlier this week, put the State’s jobless rate at 8.4 per cent for April.