Slight decreases in unemployment figures welcomed

10 Jun 2003

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) welcomes the reduction in the numbers claiming an unemployment payment as revealed in today’s Live Register figures. However, the INOU warns that this small monthly reduction of 900 in the seasonally adjusted figures must be taken in context of the yearly increase of 9.4%.

‘These figures are obviously welcomed but must not to be taken as an indication of a turnaround in the ever-increasing rise of unemployment’, said Mr Eric Conroy, General Secretary INOU. ‘An element of complacency to tackle rising unemployment should not be allowed to set in especially given the predictions for more increases in redundancies and unemployment. These figures do not reflect the recent redundancies announced nor the changes in the Back to Education Allowance which could see up to 6000 more people claiming the dole throughout the summer.’

‘It is changes in this support and other schemes such as community employment and Back to Work Allowance which will actually increase unemployment instead of breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and unemployment,’ he added.