Unemployment down slightly in August

The number of people signing on the live register has fallen in August by 2,700 when seasonal factors were taken into account, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) yesterday. The CSO also announced that its official figures for the last few months were incorrect, meaning the overall level of unemployment was lower than the data had shown.

Those signing on in August, once seasonal factors are taken into account, numbered 191,700. This was down 31,824 on the figure recorded last August, most of which was due to 23,185 males signing off. The unadjusted figure was 198,670.

The return to work of school caretakers and cleaners towards the end of August possibly contributed to the fall in unemployment, said a CSO spokeswoman. "There might be a further drop in September as teachers go back to work."

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was 6.4 per cent, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point on July. The August figure represents a fall of 0.6 of a percentage point since January, when the effective unemployment rate was 7 per cent.

Strictly speaking, the live register does not measure unemployment per se as it includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers who are entitled to dole payments.

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) said fewer people had signed off since January than in the same period last year. "This translates into an actual drop in numbers of 18,000 in the January-August period in 1998, compared to a drop of 17,600 this year."

It said the Government's employment action plan, introduced last September specifically to help the under-25s, had failed. The fall in under-25s signing on was 6,800 in the January-August period last year - before the plan was introduced. This contrasted with a fall of 6,700 this year, when the action plan was operating.

"The Government must admit that its current strategies are not working," said Mr Tony Monks, INOU spokesman.

In response, a spokeswoman for the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, said the percentage of under-25s as a proportion of the entire live register had fallen in the past year. In August 1998, under-25s made up 21.24 per cent of the live register, while the current figure was 18.66 per cent, she said.

"There's a high level of casual and seasonal work, with great inflows and outflows in that category. There's a lot of movement," she said.

In a statement, the Minister said the numbers signing on - before seasonal adjustment - at 198,670 was the lowest August live register figure since 1983.

"Over 14,600 people have been referred for interview under the employment action plan, with over 9,300 people no longer on the live register and over 3,800 of those interviewed availing of training or being placed in jobs," said Mr Ahern.

The Labour spokesman on social and community affairs, Mr Tommy Broughan, said the only motivation behind the Government's unemployment policy was to reduce the numbers signing on without making any effort to create sustainable, rewarding jobs. "At the heart of the Government's employment action plan is number-crunching," he said.

The Fine Gael spokeswoman on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mrs Nora Owen expressed concern that almost 200,000 people remained on the live register.

She said: "At a time when the Government is boasting about full employment, questions have to be asked about the 198,000 people who are still signing on.

"The Minister must re-examine training programmes targeting the unemployed and should also critically examine the high level of illiteracy in the state as poor literacy skills clearly present an obstacle to people moving into the workforce," she said.