UNEMPLOYMENT rose sharply last month, according to the latest live register figures, which show an increase of 3,800 in the seasonally adjusted total. The figures have led to sharp Opposition criticism of the Government's performance, but the Minister for Enterprise and Employment has argued that the figures are misleading.
The number of people registered as unemployed at the end of last month was 285,200, which is 6,800 up on the same month last year.
School and university leavers signing on the live register appear to account for much of the increase. There was a rise of more than 4,500 to 73,000 in the number of under 25s signing on.
The live register total normally rises sharply in June due to people leaving education and signing on. However the 8,000 increase last month in the unadjusted total was much sharper than would normally be expected, leading to the seasonally adjusted increase.
The Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, has said that the live register figures are "a completely unreliable indicator of number of people who are actually unemployed." This is because it includes categories such as part time workers who were recently given entitlement to claim benefits and some students now entitled to make claims during summer vacation.
The continued rise in the live register, despite indications of strong growth in employment, is being closely examined by Government officials. Among the reasons for the increase over the past year appear to be the impact of equality legislation in encouraging married women to sign on in their own right, the fact that those on the register are given preference in participating in community employment schemes and improved information programmes on entitlements.
Increased numbers of part time workers signing on also appears to be a major factor.
However Opposition politicians argue that the Government's employment policies are failing. The latest rise in the unemployment figures made a sham of the Government's claims of success in tackling joblessness, the deputy leader of Fianna Fail, Mrs O'Rourke, has said.
The Government's policies were only scratching the surface of the unemployment crisis and needed to be radically overhauled, she added.
She suggested that the local employment service, which was regarded as the only mechanism that would assist in breaking the vicious spiral of unemployment, should be introduced immediately in every county.
The leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Harney, said it was totally shocking that there were nearly 7,000 more people on the dole queues now than there were 12 months ago.
The Government, despite their expensively spin doctored messages of "boom and bloom", had singularly failed to translate economic growth into meaningful job opportunities for the unemployed, she stated.
The Democratic Left TD, Mr Eric Byrne, said the package of interventionist employment promotion measures announced in the budget needed to be further expanded.
Social and economic exclusion was a major factor in the drugs and crime related issues which dominated the political agenda, he continued calling on the Opposition parties to state whether or not they were prepared to moderate their "low tax, low spend" policies in the interests of social stability.
