Decline in number of non-nationals signing on Live Register

THE number of non-Irish nationals on the Live Register has slightly declined over the last year, indicating the large numbers now choosing to emigrate rather than continue to seek work in Ireland.

The number of people unable to find work for extended periods, and in danger of joining the ranks of the long-term unemployed, has continued to climb.

The CSO Live Register figures released this week show that in July there were 387,612 Irish nationals and 79,212 non-Irish nationals on the Live Register. This represents a monthly increase of 13,575 (+3.6%) in Irish nationals and an increase of 367 (+0.5%) in non-Irish nationals.

In the year to July 2010, the number of Irish nationals on the Live Register increased by 35,289 (+10%), while the number of non-Irish nationals decreased by 886 (-1.1%).

Among non-Irish nationals, the largest number on the Register were nationals from the EU accession states, at 41,846.

In July, more than 30% of those claiming benefits had been doing so for more than a year. The proportion of long-term recipients has been rising steadily since statistics on those claiming unemployment benefits for less or more than a year were first complied last year. In October 2009, just over two in 10 claimants were claiming benefits for more than a year.

For long-term claimants, males and females increased by 5,039 and 2,320 respectively last month

Geographically, all eight regions of the state recorded increases in claimants in July.

A regional analysis of those joining the Live Register indicates that the south east has been hardest hit over the last year, with a 9.5% increase in this region compared to a an average 8% across the country.

Social researcher Conor McCabe said: “The trend in employment over the past 18 months has been to keep people in work, but to keep them on shorter hours. What we are seeing now is people who were on 24 to 35 hours a week are having further cuts in their hours – and so are claiming for the days they are not working – or they are being let go altogether.

He added: “At the same time, there have been people – mainly professionals – who have been out of work but who have not been signing on the live register – either because they didn’t think they were entitled or they just couldn’t bring themselves to sign on. We are that deep in the recession now that the savings they were living off are low or gone altogether, and they are finally applying for benefits.”

Although exact categories of new claimant are not yet available, the sharp increase of those from professional employment backgrounds will have been contributed to by teachers on temporary contracts and university students who have failed to find summer jobs.

Looking to the few positives in the economy Mr McCabe said: “The Quarterly Household Survey for Jan-March 2010 shows that there are still an estimated 1.8 million people working in Ireland. But we need to stop deflating the economy.”