Live Register Figures Increase in August

According to recent figures the amount of people signing on the live register in Ireland has increased for the fourth consecutive month.

The seasonally adjusted figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have revealed that the number of people signing on the Live Register rose in August by 1,600 or 0.4%.

The total number of those on the Live Register now stands at 449,600. Three quarters of the increase in August’s figures can be accounted to women.

Despite the rise in August, the CSO says the Live Register figure has stayed within a relatively narrow range over the past 12 months.

40% of the total number of people on the Live Register is still comprised of long-term claimants.

Meanwhile the CSO report also revealed that the unemployment rate increased slightly in August, from 14.3% in July to 14.4%. However it must be noted that the Live Register includes some part-time and seasonal workers and does not measure unemployment.

Seán Murphy, Chambers Ireland Deputy Chief Executive, said: "These figures underscore the need for the rapid execution of mooted reforms to the Irish labour market signalled by the Government over the summer.

"While we welcome the fact that unemployment levels appear to be stabilizing, our numbers of unemployed are too high and need to fall."

"We need to ensure that proposals to significantly reform our labour regulations are acted upon as current structures are impeding job creation and the sustainability of jobs. Reform is urgently needed to enable flexibility and in turn support the business case for employment. We also need to make work pay," Mr Murphy concluded.

In addition the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) asserted that the Jobs Initiative is not working and a more comprehensive and holistic approach is urgently required to get people off the dole queues.

SME Chief Executive, Mark Fielding, said: "The Government’s jobs initiative, while well-meaning, is only putting a sticking plaster over the wound and not addressing the core problem of unemployment and in particular the explosion of long-term unemployment, which has become embedded in the economy."

The Live Register is made up of returns, filed by each local office, to the CSO by the Department of Social Protection.

It comprises those under the age of 65 who seek jobseekers benefits, allowance and welfare. However the register will exclude short-term workers, smallholders, those on farmers assist and some others who are self employed as well as those who going through an industrial dispute.

(LB/BMcC)