84,200 People Still Unemployed

7 Sep 2004

The QNHS 2nd quarter results released today show an annual increase of 2,100 in unemployment levels, bringing the total number of unemployed people to 84,200. The number of people short-term unemployed (i.e. under 12 months) rose by 2,800 to 57,400. While an annual reduction of 900 was recorded for those long term unemployed. The overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.4%.

‘Any increase in unemployment levels are unwelcome and remind us that the Fianna Fail slogan of ‘a lot done, more to do’, is still valid as over 84,000 people (using the ILO definition) or over 112,000 people (using the PES definition) are in search of employment’, said June Tinsley, Policy Officer INOU. ‘The Government must put action behind this slogan if it is to reach its target of ‘eliminating long term unemployment by 2007’.’

The QNHS figures show that employment in all occupational categories increased in the year with the exception of Plant and Machine Operatives, which decreased by 14,300. This is a substantial reduction in a sector where many employees are vulnerable to unemployment due to lower educational attainment, limited skills, lack of alternative employment opportunities etc.

On a positive note, employment growth rose by 42,800 in the year and increases in full time employment accounted for over 85% of this annual change. Also the number of self employed without paid employees rose significantly by 13,800 bringing the total to 209,500.