In March, there was a further reduction of 400 individuals from the active unemployment register, bringing the seasonally adjusted count down to 174,500 benefit claimants. The register, though it includes part-time workers entitled to benefits, generally reflects labour market trends. However, the current downturn happens amidst a marginal increase in headline unemployment rates, which went up from 4.2% to 4.3% in March.
The unadjusted active register in March totalled 173,396 people, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). From this, 54.6% were men while close to 69% were Irish nationals. The register also contained 21,237 individuals reaping the benefits from EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, marking a drop of 757 compared to the previous month.
The register’s biggest age group, with 23.5% representation, is aged 35-44, equating to 40,797 individuals. Counties bearing the significant rise in sign-ups over the 12-month span were Meath (10.6%) and Laois (4.7%). Additionally, the CSO stated that the number of people who were on the active register for a year or more totalled 61,933 in March, a slight increase of 215 (0.3%) from the year before. Finally, the register had 111,463 individuals who had been on it for less than a year – 6,122 fewer than the prior March.