Stats yearbook provides grim reading

Last year was far from a pretty one in statistical terms, according to a report published today. Unemployment increased, social welfare spending soared, the Government deficit more than doubled and the number of tourists coming to Ireland dipped significantly.

The figures are among those published by the Central Statistics Office in its annual yearbook, which examines trends in areas of Irish life ranging from the labour market to criminal activity to economic output to the most popular names for newborn boys and girls - which were Jack and Sophie in 2010.

Among the most striking figures are the increase in the general Government deficit - from just under €22.7 billion in 2009 to €49.6 billion in 2010, a 30 per cent decrease in the level of production in the construction sector in the same period and an almost €14,000 disparity in the average earnings of men - €47, 178 - and women (€33,932).

The yearbook notes that the number of people in employment fell from 1.939 million in 2009 to 1.859 million last year. There has also been a 98.7 per cent increase in expenditure on social welfare payments between 2003 and last year, which now accounts for 16.7 per cent of Gross National Product compared to 9 per cent in 2003.

The baby boom slowed slightly with 73,724 births, down 554 on 2009, and the number of deaths fell by more than 5 per cent to 27,122.

The number of overseas trips to Ireland fell by 12.9 per cent to just over 6 million last year and Irish residents made 6.5 million overseas trips, about 7 per cent fewer than in 2009.

There were some positives, though. The number of new cars licensed increased by 56 per cent on 2009, and the numbers killed on the roads fell. Retail sales also increased in number and decreased in value, while Gross National Product, our output minus repatriated multinational profits, grew by 0.3 per cent on 2009.