No reduction in female unemployment

There has been no reduction in the number of women signing on the live register last month.

No reduction in female unemployment

There has been no reduction in the number of women signing on the live register last month.

Latest figures show 426,100 claimants signed on for unemployment and job-seeking benefits during May.

That was 700 less than the previous month, and 11,170 fewer than the same time last year, according to the seasonally adjusted statistics.

On a yearly basis, there were nearly 12,000 fewer men claiming benefits since May 2012, and just a slight drop – of 672 – in women on the dole.

The live register figures, compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), includes unemployed, some part-time workers as well as seasonal and casual workers entitled to job-seeking benefits.

The overall unemployment rate remains at 13.7% of the country’s workforce.

Isme, which represents small and medium-sized businesses, said the slight decrease in numbers signing on masked the true scale of unemployment in Ireland.

Mark Fielding, chief executive of Isme, said emigration as well as people returning to education or job schemes had to be taken into account when looking at the dole figures.

“The true picture is that well over half-a-million of our citizens are out of work,” he said.

Mr Fielding called on the Government to bring in more incentives for smaller businesses to take on more workers.

“Government must realise that it has to act as a catalyst for job creation, allowing business to increase productivity,” he said.

“The potential within the small and medium-sized enterprise sector will not be released while costs are too high, finance too scarce and petty regulations too restrictive.”

Trade union Unite also attributed the decrease in benefits claimants to emigration and job schemes.

“When these are taken into account, it’s apparent that there has been no real shift in the jobless rate,” said Jimmy Kelly, the union’s regional secretary.

“In fact, it is particularly worrying that last month saw a substantial increase in the number of new applications for benefit and assistance.

“There has also been a big jump in the numbers signing on for a year or more.”

The number of people signing on for a year or more rose by 3,268 to 191,997. There was a slight drop in the number of men classed as long-term unemployed, but a rise in the number of women – up by 4,444, or more than 8%.

Mr Kelly said the figures show Ireland has entered a period of prolonged stagnation.

“The only way this can be reversed is for the Government to ditch its failed austerity policies and use the forthcoming Budget to embark on a programme of smart investment in growth and jobs ”, he said.

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