Live Register Rises By Just 20

The latest job benefit figures show that just 20 more people signed on in February, leaving the total figure at 436,956.

The remarkable figure compares to an increase in January of 110,664 and when seasonal factors are taken into account, the Live Register actually fell by 2,300 to stand at 432,400.

The seasonally adjusted January figure had been the biggest increase since August of last year.

The results from the Central Statistics Office today said that in the year up to February 2010, there was an unadjusted increase in the Live Register of 84,503 - up 24%.

However, despite the seemingly good news, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) is skeptical that the figures are reflecting what is happening on the ground.

Asking if unemployment was really falling, a spokesman for the INOU said: "What is striking about these figures when you look at them in detail is that the drop is in Jobseekers Benefit. Jobseekers Benefit is the payment workers build up an entitlement to through their PRSI contributions and it lasts for either 9 months or a year depending on the levels of contribution made."

"Amongst the welfare rights queries that come into the INOU are those from an increasing number of men who cannot understand why after working for 10, 20, 30 years they are no longer entitled to an unemployment payment once their Jobseekers Benefit payment comes to an end."

The spokesman went on to question if the figures represented many of those seeking welfare payments moving over to Jobseekers allowance instead of Jobseekers Benefit.

The spokesman also shared concerns that a report on occupational employment forecasting released by FAS and the ESRI indicated that employment growth would be mostly in the upper end of the educational profile and those without qualifications and skills would find difficulty in accessing future employment.

(DW/BMcc)