Live register figures break trend to show seasonally-adjusted 1,500 rise for June

THE latest unemployment figures have broken with the long-term downward trend, showing a seasonally-adjusted increase of 1,500.

Unemployment normally rises in June, but the 6,749 increase last month was more than would usually be expected because of seasonal factors.

However, when compared to June of 1996, overall unemployment is down by 28,000.

The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr Ahern, said yesterday's figures were an aberration and he expected the downward trend to resume after the summer period.

However, there has been an increase in those under-25 signing on.

Last month this figure stood at 56,220; now it has risen to 60,129.

A large part of the increase in the overall live register figure at this time of the year is due to temporary teachers and other part-time workers signing on.

A larger increase in the seasonally-adjusted figure took place at the same last year when the figure went up by 3,800, according to the Central Statistics Office.

By the end of the summer, the increase had fallen back to its more regular level, at about 270,000.

The adjusted figure has been steadily falling since 1991 and has gone down by 33,800 since January 1994.

The figure for men on the live register has fallen by 33,700, whereas the figure for women has only fallen by 300.

Reacting to the figures, the Minister said: "There is always a slight increase at this time of the year."

He said he was "slightly worried" the upward pattern might continue, but he was confident this would not happen.

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) described the latest figures as "worrying".

"These figures show the underlying trend in unemployment is still there and the core of long-term unemployment is not even dropping slightly despite our economic prosperity" said chairman, Mr Paul Billings.

"This week, employer groups took to the media complaining they were unable to find workers when the truth of the matter is that most people on the live register are long-term unemployed and employers are not willing to see their potential," he added.

The INOU also called for the publication of statistics on long-term unemployment.

The trend for people signing on in Dublin, although showing a small increase for June, has been downward over the last year.

The same trend can be observed in all other regions, with the biggest reductions in the south-west.

Meanwhile, ISME said it was unimpressed" by the live register figures.

A spokesman said the association had evidence to prove that the genuine level of unemployment was "considerably less than the 256,600 announced" yesterday.

"Many thousands of jobs at rates of pay considerably above the Government's proposed minimum level remain unfilled throughout the country," he said.

The association believes the procedures for signing on are "too lax and many of those signing on are also working on the black economy".