Emigration not impacting unemployment

The effects of net outward migration have not significantly impacted on the Live Register, with a slight increase in the numbers of people signing on in November.

A detailed breakdown from the Central Statistics Office show the Live Register showed an increase in both Irish and non-Irish nationals last month.

The Live Register also includes people who are working part-time, seasonal and casual workers who are entitled to job-seeker's benefit or allowances.

An extra 622 Irish people signed on in November, a rise of 0.2 per cent on the previous month, while 476 non-Irish nationals joined the register during the month, a rise of 0.6 per cent.

The number of non-Irish nationals signing on to the Live Register increased by 27,146 in the year to November, with the majority of those signing on coming from EU accession states. Non-Irish nationals made up 18.6 per cent of the Live Register in November 2009, and accounted for an estimated 15 per cent of the total workforce aged between 17 and 65.

In contrast, an additional 119,170 Irish people joined the register in the 11-month period.

The increase in the Live Register was seen throughout most areas of the country last month, with five out of eight regions showing an annual rise in the number of people signing on.

However, looking at the year to date, the Dublin region experienced the largest percentage increase over the 11 months, with those on the register rising 60.1 per cent. The smallest percentage increase was seen in the West, where it rose 47.9 per cent.

On a county basis, some areas of the Leinster region were hard hit by job cutbacks, with Meath reporting a 71 per cent hike while Kildare recorded a 55.5 per cent increase compared to the same month a year earlier. The region recorded an overall increase of 59.4 per cent.

In the midest, those signing on for jobseekers’ benefits in Limerick increased 60.9 per cent, while in the south, Cork figures rose 67.3 per cent.

On a month by month basis, however, decreases were seen in figures for the Dublin, west and  mideast regions.