The official unemployment figures come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and is published four times a year, usually a month and a half after the end of the relevant quarter. The Central Statistics Office provide data on a monthly bases, working off the most recent LFS and trends in the seasonally adjusted Live Register figures. This information provides the Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) and the Monthly Unemployment figures for the State, broken down by age and gender. In this article we will look at the highs and lows of these figures over the past twenty years, covering the period December 1998 to December 2018.
Youth Unemployment
In December 1998, the Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) for people aged between 15 and 24 years was 10.1%. Over the following twenty years, it went as low as 6.2%, in November 2000 and as high as 31.6% in February, 2012. For six years of this period, from late 2001 to late 2007, it ranged from 7.8% to 9.8%. In December 2018, the MUR for young people was 12.2%, 2.1% higher than in December 1998.
Looking at the numbers of people who were unemployed, in December 1998, there were 41,700 young people unemployed. Over the same period this fell to as low as 26,500 in November and December 2000, to as high as 101,400 in November 2009. In June 2001, the numbers of young unemployed went over 30,000 and stayed under 40,000 until February 2007. In December 2018, there were 37,300 young people unemployed, 4,400 fewer than in December 1998.
Unemployment for people aged 25-74
In December 1998, the Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) for people aged between 25 and 74 years was 5.5%. Over the following twenty years, it went as low as 3.1%, in April and May 2001, and as high as 13.7% in January, 2012. For eight years of this period, from January 2000 to early 2008, it ranged from 3.1% to 4.3%. In December 2018, the MUR for this age group was 4.3%, 1.2% lower than twenty years earlier.
73,700 people aged between 25 and 74 years were unemployed in December 1998. Over the same period this figure fell as low as 45,800 people in April 2001, and as high as 265,100 people in January 2012. In June 1999, the numbers of people in this age group went under 70,000 and stayed under this figure until July 2007. In December 2018, there were 89,700 people aged 25-74 unemployed, 16,000 more people than at the end of 1998.
Unemployment for people aged 15-74
In December 1998, the Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) for people aged between 15 and 74 years was 6.6%. Over the following twenty years, it went as low as 3.9%, in November and December, 2000 and as high as 16% in January and February, 2012. In June, 1999 the overall MUR went under 6%, and stayed under this figure until June, 2008. In December 2018, this MUR was 5.3%, 1.3% lower than in December 1998.
Looking at the numbers of people who were unemployed, in December 1998, there were 115,400 people unemployed. Over the same period this fell to as low as 73,800 people in March 2001, and went as high as 356,000 people in January 2012. In June 1999, the numbers of unemployed people went under 110,000 and stayed under this figure until June 2006. In December 2018, there were 127,100 people unemployed, 11,700 more people than in December 1998.
Unemployment for women and men
Of the 115,400 people unemployed in December 1998, 42.5% or 49,100 were women and 57.4% or 66,300 were men. Women’s unemployment fell to 31,500 in November, 2000 and rose to 134,700 in April, 2013. From the end of 1998 until April, 2007 women’s unemployment was under 50,000. In December 2018, 58,700 women were unemployed, 9,600 more than in December 1998 - accounting for 46.2% of those unemployed.
Men’s unemployment was at its lowest level in February, March and April, 2001 when it stood at 41,700: and it was at its highest level in November 2011, when it reached 223,100. In March 1999 men’s unemployment went under 65,000 and did not go above this figure until February 2007. In December 2018, 68,400 men were unemployed, 2,100 more men than in December 1998 - accounting for 53.8% of those unemployed.
Looking at the Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR), in December 1998, the male rate was 6.3% and the female rate was 7%. The lowest the male MUR went was 3.8%, from the end of 2000 to mid-2001. The lowest the female MUR went was 4.1% at the end of 2000 and 2001. At its height the male MUR was 18.2% - in December 2010, August 2011, and from November 2011 to February 2012. The female MUR was highest in April 2013, at 13.2%. From July 2001 to July 2007, the two rates moved between 4.1% and 5.4%, with one being higher than the other at different times. In December 2018, both rates stood at 5.3%.