NESF seeks changes in jobless statistics

THE Government should produce a broader set of statistics to measure unemployment and analyse its causes, according to a report by the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF).

The NESF published its report on unemployment statistics yesterday, recommending the Central Statistics Office (CSO) consider using nine separate unemployment rates. It also recommends that the CSO publish a detailed quarterly report on unemployment and develop more detailed data on the "labour market status of particular groups". The report follows controversy last year when 91,000 more people were registered unemployed on the Live Register than on the Lab our Force Survey. The difference led to accusations of widespread "dole fraud" among social welfare recipients.

Unemployment is currently measured by the Lab our Force Survey (using two separate methods), the monthly Live Register, and the five yearly Census of Population. The CSO plans to publish the Labour Force Survey on a quarterly basis from the end of this year.

The NESF chairwoman, Ms Maureen Gaffney, said the report was not designed to produce a single measure of unemployment. "There is huge public interest in unemployment statistics and people get caught up in a fairly fruitless debate over the virtues of the Live Register versus other measurements.

The NESF commissioned a study from UCD based academics, Professor Brendan Walsh and Mr Anthony Murphy, to analyse the unemployment figures from 1993 and 1996. It was "trying to find a way to measure the slack in the lab our force", Ms Gaffney said.

She added that it highlighted three particularly badly affected groups; young men who live in housing estates and come from households where nobody's working; young women who are single and who have young children; and older men who have given up on the hope of work.

The report also recommends that the Department of Social Welfare "improve and develop the Live Register for labour market purposes". In addition, it, says that unemployment policies should be "regularly monitored and independently evaluated."

It further recommends that the Department of Enterprise and Employment consider establishing its own register of job seekers "as a matter of urgency".

The chairman of the committee, Mr Donal Dineen, outlined the nine measurements which the NESF recommends as unemployment measurements.

The first would use the existing International Labour Office (ILO) method, the second would combine ILO figures with Government trade and employment schemes, the third would be a further combination the second measurement with those classified as "discouraged workers".

The fourth measurement would then include those classified "inactive" and the fifth would incorporate all the options plus. ILO part time workers. The remaining four measure would incorporate those classified unemployed under the Principal Economic Status (PES) measurement, and further breakdown by age, length of time unemployed and households with children under 16 where no adult is employed.

In a statement the Government said it had decided to refer the report to an inter departmental strategy group on employment and unemployment.