Numbers on ‘activation’ schemes for long-term welfare recipients up by 6,300

The number of people on activation programmes, who are not counted in calculating the State’s Live Register claimant count, rose last month to 80,576 from 74,274 in September.

However, the Central Statistics Office yesterday said the number of people using the programmes, which are designed to help the long-term unemployed and other welfare recipients, has fallen by 4,096 persons, or by 4.8%, from October 2014.

There were a total of 330,000 people on the seasonally-adjusted Live Register in October, and 316,586 people on the unadjusted register.

The figures show that, at 22,488, the largest number of people on the activation programmes are on Community Employment Schemes.

At 15,486, the second largest number is on a group of activation programmes that includes the Community Work Placement Initiative, JobBridge, and Gateway schemes.

Seasonally adjusted Live Register total decreases by 2,200 in November https://t.co/l0dPMb2ZjO

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) December 3, 2015

The Back to Work Enterprise allowance scheme for the self-employed had 11,814 people on its programme last month.

Workers in the craft and related area, plant and machine operators and the personal and protective service, which all suffered devastating job losses during the crash, remain among the largest occupational groups on the Live Register.

The unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.9% of the labour force in October.

Business group Isme said employment growth is slowing.

“Because of the cost uncertainty, job growth is slowing, with the seasonally-adjusted Live Register figure decreasing by 2,200, leaving 330,000 people signing on the dole,” said the organisation’s CEO Mark Fielding.