Long-term Unemployment Rising

16 Dec 2009

Today the CSO released the latest Quarterly National Household Survey. This Survey covers Quarter 3, the months July to September 2009. The fall in employment continues with a loss of 184,700 jobs over the past year. The loss of full-time jobs is even more extraordinary at 202,400 over the year. Jobs were lost across all sectors except 'associate professional and technical'.

Unemployment continues to rise and is now 12.7%. "What is particularly worrying about today's release," said Bríd O'Brien, Head of Policy with the INOU, "is the increase in long-term unemployment which is now 3.2% or 71,400 people". Long-term unemployment was only 1.7% or 38,100 people in Quarter 3 2008.

To-date the Government has been addressing the issue of unemployment in a piece meal fashion. Ireland desperately needs a coherent and inclusive Jobs Strategy if long-term unemployment is not to continue to climb and to become entrenched once again in Irish society.

Budget 2010 contains too little to address this growing problem. The INOU challenges the rationale behind cutting young people's social welfare payments: to "incentivise them" to go on education and training courses. There are insufficient quality education and training places available. "And with no vision for where the labour market is going," Bríd continued, "unemployed people are concerned that engagement in these courses will not guarantee them future employment".

 

For further information contact:

John Stewart, Co-ordinator at 01 856 0088
Bríd O'Brien, Head of Policy and Media at 01 856 0088; 086 608 9641