Emigration blamed for seasonally adjusted fall in jobless figures

THE live register showed an increase of 1,622 last month although the seasonally adjusted figure slightly decreased.

A total of 444,300 people are currently recorded as being in receipt of welfare benefits, a fall from a peak of 466,900 during 2010. The decrease, however, was due to the rise in emigration.

Labour Party Enterprise spokesman Willie Penrose said the figures were a stark indication that job creation must be central to any new programme for government.

“While the increase is relatively small and while the seasonally adjusted rate has actually decreased, there are— for the 21st successive month — in excess of 400,000 claiming jobseekers’ benefit or allowance.

“There is still a huge challenge facing the country and for the incoming government, to undo the huge economic damage done by Fianna Fáil,” Mr Penrose said.

Overall, the live register fell by 10,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis since its peak in August /September last year.

However, the figures indicate there has been a 52% — or 56,080 — increase in the levels of long-term unemployment over the last year.

Youth Work Ireland, an umbrella body of 22 local voluntary youth services around the country, indicated that the figures masked the worrying trend towards greater youth emigration.

“With economic growth returning in other major economies Ireland is now experiencing a substantial rise in emigration particularly among young people. There must be a dedicated jobs’ strategy for young people if we are to avoid a return to the massive emigration of the 1980s which so decimated communities,” said Youth Work Ireland spokesman Michael McLoughlin.

“The spectre of emigration is a major social tragedy and seems to be accepted as almost an Irish solution to an Irish problem. This must be challenged.

“Increased emigration among young people is a major economic issue as this group has been very well educated.

“Now a different country will reap the benefit of this investment and Ireland will lack the people and the skills to build a smart economy,” added Mr McLoughlin.

Describing the number unemployed as calamitous the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) called on the incoming government to prioritise job creation.

ISME chief executive Mark Fielding said: “It is vitally important that the new government puts as much emphasis on job creation and tackling unemployment, as it will put into the banking crisis and renegotiating the EU/IMF bailout.

“With 300,000 people having lost their jobs in the last four years and an anticipated 100,000 expected to emigrate in the next two, there is no time to waste in addressing the unemployment scourge,” he said.