A bit of good news! - Unemployment rate drops to 10.1%

irishfeen

Unemployment numbers are continuing to fall, with 10.8 per cent less people signing on the live register in February compared to the same time last year.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that 42,945 less people signed on the live register in February 2015 compared to the same month 12 months earlier.

There was a monthly drop of 4,300 claimants from January 2015, bring the total number of people currently on the live register to 355,600.

There was 27,720 new registrants last month, of which 53.3% was male and 46.7% was female.

There were annual decreases in all regions, with the largest occurring in the mid-west (-13%), followed by Dublin (-11.5%) and the south-west (-10.9%)

Down from a high of 15.1% :eek: in Jan 2012 - a staggering drop for any developed country in such a short time with the crisis we were in. While I disagree with many policies this government has implemented its hard to argue past the actual numbers in employment - for that they really should be given credit.

I came out of college in 2012, no jobs absolutely anywhere - straight on to the dole but managed to pick something up with job bridge... almost all my buddies from college are gone but they all want to come home eventually - next job is bringing them home and using their qualifications to re-build the country.

Highest economic growth rate in Europe, steadily falling unemployment, shít hot at rugby .. the country is well on its way back

Mint Aero

irishfeen wrote: »

its hard to argue past the actual numbers in employment - for that they really should be given credit.

all my buddies from college are gone but they all want to come home

Highest economic growth rate in Europe, steadily falling unemployment, shít hot at rugby .. the country is well on its way back

You sir are the smarts

Lollipops23

I'm away currently, but will return later in the year. Things were already starting to pick up a bit when I left, so I have no doubt I'll be ok job-wise when I get back.

The only thing that makes me wary is that fact that lessons don't appear to have been learned from the crash- property prices are increasing far too fast for one thing.

Wide Load

Live in a smallish size town myself, 9,000 living here maybe, and have yet to see any signs of things picking up. Just more shops closing really. I'm sure in Dublin, Cork etc it's looking better but it's not being spread everywhere, not by a long shot.

Lau2976

Didn't fas course start this month? And a few other schemes I believe. I'd put a lot of that down to smoke and mirrors.

dodderangler

Sure half the lads and ladies has fcuked off to another country for work.

irishfeen

Wide Load wrote: »

Live in a smallish size town myself, 9,000 living here maybe, and have yet to see any signs of things picking up. Just more shops closing really. I'm sure in Dublin, Cork etc it's looking better but it's not being spread everywhere, not by a long shot.

No but once Cork, Dublin start booming the rest of the country will recover very fast... the big Urban centers will drive the recovery (as it always has)

Generic Dreadhead

irishfeen wrote: »

almost all my buddies from college are gone but they all want to come home eventually - next job is bringing them home and using their qualifications to re-build the country.

I always said 2016 would see the rise of the qualified Arts students

Triangla

irishfeen wrote: »

Down from a high of 15.1% :eek: in Jan 2012 - a staggering drop for any developed country in such a short time with the crisis we were in. While I disagree with many policies this government has implemented its hard to argue past the actual numbers in employment - for that they really should be given credit.

I came out of college in 2012, no jobs absolutely anywhere - straight on to the dole but managed to pick something up with job bridge... almost all my buddies from college are gone but they all want to come home eventually - next job is bringing them home and using their qualifications to re-build the country.

Highest economic growth rate in Europe, steadily falling unemployment, shít hot at rugby .. the country is well on its way back

What policies do you think have contributed to this recovery?

In my opinion the economy would have recovered regardless of who was in power at this time, just as it would have tanked regardless of who was in power at the time of the downturn. It's dependent on international factors more such as oil prices and ECB rates.

Not a Fine Gael/Labour hater, I just think for the most part things improve in spite of government action/inaction. Not because of any political master strokes being pulled.

irishfeen

dodderangler wrote: »

Sure half the lads and ladies has fcuked off to another country for work.

... and the other half of us have stayed! - also the number of young people on the dole now stands at 13.7%, down from 15.1% in February 2014.

cloud493

Its certainly picked up in Dublin, I've seen it myself. Wouldn't know about the rest of the country.

irishfeen

Triangla wrote: »

What policies do you think have contributed to this recovery?

In my opinion the economy would have recovered regardless of who was in power at this time, just as it would have tanked regardless of who was in power at the time of the downturn. It's dependent on international factors more such as oil prices and ECB rates.

Not a Fine Gael/Labour hater, I just think for the most part things improve in spite of government action/inaction. Not because of any political master strokes being pulled.

Stability is the main thing the government brought, without 5 years of solid government we could have went down the Greece route... it was predicted that we could never recover again by some...

ClovenHoof

irishfeen wrote: »

Down from a high of 15.1% :eek: in Jan 2012 - a staggering drop for any developed country in such a short time with the crisis we were in. While I disagree with many policies this government has implemented its hard to argue past the actual numbers in employment - for that they really should be given credit.

I came out of college in 2012, no jobs absolutely anywhere - straight on to the dole but managed to pick something up with job bridge... almost all my buddies from college are gone but they all want to come home eventually - next job is bringing them home and using their qualifications to re-build the country.

Highest economic growth rate in Europe, steadily falling unemployment, shít hot at rugby .. the country is well on its way back

THIS HAS BEEN A PARTY POLITICAL BROADCAST ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT.

irishfeen

cloud493 wrote: »

Its certainly picked up in Dublin, I've seen it myself. Wouldn't know about the rest of the country.

See it here in rural N.Cork too - not massive progress but things have certainly bottomed out and are improving month on month.

Lollipops23

dodderangler wrote: »

Sure half the lads and ladies has fcuked off to another country for work.

The vast majority of Irish I've met in Ontario have come from jobs to be here, so weren't on the Live Register anyway.

irishfeen

ClovenHoof wrote: »

THIS HAS BEEN A PARTY POLITICAL BROADCAST ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Absolutely not, i'm not affiliated to any party... I come from a VERY pro Fianna Faíl family actually...

Bongalongherb

The reason for this mostly, are the following schemes of which folk are taken off the DSP register... and are classed as no-longer unemployed.

(1) TUS scheme 1 year forced work for your dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(2) Gateway scheme 22 months forced work for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(3) JobBridge 9 months work for dole + €50. Categorised as no-longer unemployed.

(4) CE scheme 19.5 hours per week for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

And many other schemes that make it look like the unemployment rate has dropped so much.

ClovenHoof

irishfeen wrote: »

Absolutely not, i'm not affiliated to any party... I come from a VERY pro Fianna Faíl family actually...

Like there is a difference.

Besides people like you come from pro-[insert political party here] are so strange to me.

malinheader

Bongalongherb wrote: »

The reason for this mostly, are the following schemes of which folk are taken off the DSP register... and are classed as no-longer unemployed.

(1) TUS scheme 1 year forced work for your dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(2) Gateway scheme 22 months forced work for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(3) JobBridge 9 months work for dole + €50. Categorised as no-longer unemployed.

(4) CE scheme 19.5 hours per week for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

And many other schemes that make it look like the unemployment rate has dropped so much.

Agree 100%. Not much of change in Donegal.

kneemos

Bongalongherb wrote: »

The reason for this mostly, are the following schemes of which folk are taken off the DSP register... and are classed as no-longer unemployed.

(1) TUS scheme 1 year forced work for your dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(2) Gateway scheme 22 months forced work for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(3) JobBridge 9 months work for dole + €50. Categorised as no-longer unemployed.

(4) CE scheme 19.5 hours per week for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

And many other schemes that make it look like the unemployment rate has dropped so much.

Has there been a massive increase in the number on these schemes that reflects the drop in unemployment?

irishfeen

Bongalongherb wrote: »

The reason for this mostly, are the following schemes of which folk are taken off the DSP register... and are classed as no-longer unemployed.

(1) TUS scheme 1 year forced work for your dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(2) Gateway scheme 22 months forced work for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(3) JobBridge 9 months work for dole + €50. Categorised as no-longer unemployed.

(4) CE scheme 19.5 hours per week for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

And many other schemes that make it look like the unemployment rate has dropped so much.

Can't actually knock JobBridge, I am currently doing a paid internship directly from the 9 month placement - Yep living on €110 a week (inc €50) doing 37hrs a week was absolutely shít but fúck it I nearly went mad at home and it ended well for me..

irishfeen

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Like there is a difference.

Besides people like you come from pro-[insert political party here] are so strange to me.

Ah come here I never said vote for anyone - just saying its a bit of positive news.. better coming down then going up.

Egginacup

The country will recover eventually in that there will be work for anyone who wants it.

BUT only this time taxes will be higher and services will be slashed, plus you'll have to pay for water.
That's the trick with "starve the beast" economics. You perpetuate a bubble, let it burst, crashing the economy, causing layoffs and bankruptcies. Then you have fleece the public coffers, slash all manner of public spending, fleece pensions, jack up taxes and joe public is not in a position to argue because all he wants is a job and doesn't really understand the game that's being played anyway.

Bongalongherb

kneemos wrote: »

Has there been a massive increase in the number on these schemes that reflects the drop in unemployment?

The government regarding Labour party will not release the figures, but there has been a massive increase over the last few years from the DSP forcing these folk onto these schemes, they will be ramping it up further this year.

Regarding JobBridge... over 440 companies/businesses have already been banned from taking any part in JobBridge but the ban is only for 2 months and they can take on interns if they agree to not break the rules again.

Again the government will not release the data or names of these companies of which has broken the rules.

Also if an unemployed person takes on a 6 to 12 month course they are taken of the register as well while being paid into their bank account.

Magico Gonzalez

ClovenHoof wrote: »

Like there is a difference.

Besides people like you come from pro-[insert political party here] are so strange to me.

"People like you"

That's where I'd stop listening to you if I were the OP. What follows is usually some form of stereotyping, generalising or some other form of intellectually stunted trite nonsense.

Magico Gonzalez

Egginacup wrote: »

The country will recover eventually in that there will be work for anyone who wants it.

BUT only this time taxes will be higher and services will be slashed, plus you'll have to pay for water.
That's the trick with "starve the beast" economics. You perpetuate a bubble, let it burst, crashing the economy, causing layoffs and bankruptcies. Then you have fleece the public coffers, slash all manner of public spending, fleece pensions, jack up taxes and joe public is not in a position to argue because all he wants is a job and doesn't really understand the game that's being played anyway.

In reality what's happening is that Ireland is recovering from a period of populist governance where taxes where slashed and public spending increased.

Unfortunately that trend has a very short lifecycle. You can argue about the severity of cuts and tax increases necessary, but the previous populist low tax and high spend plans were simply untenable. That would be true even without a crisis.

Bongalongherb

Regarding all of the schemes rolled out to this day and courses 6 months or longer, the DSP statistics regarding this large drop in unemployment would be massive as it is obviously country-wide.

sozbox

Lau2976 wrote: »

Didn't fas course start this month? And a few other schemes I believe. I'd put a lot of that down to smoke and mirrors.

explain the increase in income tax returns then?

sozbox

Bongalongherb wrote: »

The reason for this mostly, are the following schemes of which folk are taken off the DSP register... and are classed as no-longer unemployed.

(1) TUS scheme 1 year forced work for your dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(2) Gateway scheme 22 months forced work for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(3) JobBridge 9 months work for dole + €50. Categorised as no-longer unemployed.

(4) CE scheme 19.5 hours per week for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

And many other schemes that make it look like the unemployment rate has dropped so much.

and the increase in income tax returns? I don't get your argument, you moan when the economy is going down the toilet, (2008-2010) and then moan when it's improving. What exactly do you want?

Wompa1

In fairness, the only way is up....

Personally, I'd be very worried by the fact people are starting these new jobs on less money than they would have got years ago but as far as I can see, the cost of living has not adjusted.

It seemed at one point around 2010-2011. The price of certain essentials came down a bit but they are back up now. The cost of rent in Galway, where I lived, barely budged. House prices barely budged there too.

The only value for homes seems to be in the very rural parts, that have no jobs e.g. Kerry, Clare. Hopefully remote work becomes more popular and it makes decentralization a bit more of a reality. Maybe the adjustments for mortgages will also lead to the cost of homes coming down. A house that is currently listed around 280k-290k may come down to that 220k threshold.

shamrock55

Anyone who believes this crap will believe anything, people dont realise jobridge and the rest of the bull**** schemes are included in this, its harder to find work now then ever before, my town is dieing a slow death, employment is practically zero, and thats even with an entire generation having pissed off

sozbox

shamrock55 wrote: »

Anyone who believes this crap will believe anything, people dont realise jobridge and the rest of the bull**** schemes are included in this, its harder to find work now then ever before, my town is dieing a slow death, employment is practically zero, and thats even with an entire generation having pissed off

how do you explain the increase in income tax returns? I think it's pretty clear that employment is up, and by a lot. Unless you're arguing that there's 90,000 people on job bridge?

Lollipops23

shamrock55 wrote: »

Anyone who believes this crap will believe anything, people dont realise jobridge and the rest of the bull**** schemes are included in this, its harder to find work now then ever before, my town is dieing a slow death, employment is practically zero, and thats even with an entire generation having pissed off

Where the hell do you live?

I can't speak for some of the smaller rural towns, but Dublin, Cork and Limerick were all starting to show sparks of recovery.

Smaller rural towns are always going to feel it last; believe it or not, they weren't exactly bustling metropolises during the boom either.

irishfeen

Bongalongherb wrote: »

The reason for this mostly, are the following schemes of which folk are taken off the DSP register... and are classed as no-longer unemployed.

(1) TUS scheme 1 year forced work for your dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(2) Gateway scheme 22 months forced work for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

(3) JobBridge 9 months work for dole + €50. Categorised as no-longer unemployed.

(4) CE scheme 19.5 hours per week for dole. Categorised as no-longer unemployed

And many other schemes that make it look like the unemployment rate has dropped so much.

To be fair if even half get a tax-paying job from these schemes the country will be flying... you also have to remember schemes like this gets people out of the misery of unemployment - for sure it relaxes the unemployment figure but absolutely anything is better then sitting at home doing nothing!

Schemes like this mean more to people in the long term then just the €50 odd or whatever..

everdead.ie

There were 62 extra people in the activation programs this January compared to January 2014. of which about 40% are in education (fás counted seperately)

All the numbers on the cso website

http://cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/lr/liveregisterfebruary2015/#.VPdRjuFFvD8

In that time 42,000+ people have left the live register.

The numbers are going in the right direction one thing i have noticed though is a lot of part timers are now full timers.

Edit also total number in employment up.

I work in the area of DSP as an independant advisor (without giving too much away).

There are so many people on schemes . One of my friends just finished a CE scheme today and is "promised" 6 weeks work in April but today signed back on the dole. A lot of this is massaging of figures by taking people off the live register.

Also there may be more people getting jobs but the key thing is on very very low salaries. The rate of pay is still so low and the cost of living so high that most people barely make ends meet. A huge amount of people who go back to work still qualify for FIS (family income supplemt) as their wages are so low. That says a lot.

The increase in tax returns includes everything. Property tax which has just been paid in January, VAT which increases as soon as people spend a bit more, and Stamp Duty as houses in Dublin anyway are flying off the shelves. The tax returns are bound to show an increase on what they were 3/4 years ago.

just be warned about low salaries and wages if you're returning to Ireland. Both my kids work abroad, Vancouver and London and wont be returning due to the lack of well paid jobs here, lack of housing and all the new charges and taxes in the few years since they left.

sozbox

Deleted User wrote: »

I work in the area of DSP albeit independant of them.

There are so many people on schemes . One of my friends just finished a CE scheme today and is "promised" 6 weeks work in April but today signed back on the dole. A lot of this is massaging of figures by taking people off the live register.

Also there may be more people getting jobs but the key thing is on very very low salaries. The rate of pay is still so low and the cost of living so high that most people barely make ends meet. A huge amount of people who go back to work still qualify for FIS (family income supplemt) as their wages are so low. I mean huge. That says a lot.

The increase in tax returns includes everything. Property tax which has just been paid in January, VAT which increases as soon as people spend a bit more, and Stamp Duty as houses in Dublin anyway are flying off the shelves. The returns are bound to show an increase on say 3/4 years ago.

just be warned about low salaries and wages if you're returning to Ireland. Both my kids work abroad, Vancouver and London and wont be returning due to the lack of well paid jobs, lack of choice of houses and where to live, and all the new charges and taxes in the few years since they left.

I have to stop you there now. Here's the facts:

Income tax receipts of €2.89bn were collected to end February 2015, a year-on-year increase of €183m or 6.8%. For the month of February, income tax was €91m or 7.1% above target.

Where is this extra 183million coming from in your mind? You're entitled to your own opinion not your own facts.

Bongalongherb

sozbox wrote: »

and the increase in income tax returns? I don't get your argument, you moan when the economy is going down the toilet, (2008-2010) and then moan when it's improving. What exactly do you want?

You are obviously missing the facts as to why the DSP are saying unemployment has dropped, and I'm giving you the information regarding why this is happening but you refuse to educate yourself and research this.

The thread title if you haven't already noticed is as follows... 'Unemployment rate drops to 10.1%'. The comments I put forward are in relation to this topic. There is no moaning going on here... just comments.

shamrock55

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Where the hell do you live?

I can't speak for some of the smaller rural towns, but Dublin, Cork and Limerick were all starting to show sparks of recovery.

Smaller rural towns are always going to feel it last; believe it or not, they weren't exactly bustling metropolises during the boom either.

Says the lad in toronto:rolleyes:

sozbox

Bongalongherb wrote: »

You are obviously missing the facts as to why the DSP are saying unemployment has dropped, and I'm giving you the information regarding why this is happening but you refuse to educate yourself and research this.

The thread title if you haven't already noticed is as follows... 'Unemployment rate drops to 10.1%'. The comments I put forward are in relation to this topic. There is no moaning going on here... just comments.

Here's the facts:
Income tax receipts of €2.89bn were collected to end February 2015, a year-on-year increase of €183m or 6.8%. For the month of February, income tax was €91m or 7.1% above target.

Where is this money coming from so?

Lollipops23

shamrock55 wrote: »

Says the lad in toronto:rolleyes:

Says the Lady who went for a year (for experience rather than need) and is coming back in a few months.


But because I'm doing a year abroad, I don't get to have an opinion apparently. Despite working in Ireland and paying taxes for over 10 years :rolleyes:

_Kaiser_

Don't buy it.. as pointed out above there's plenty of ways to massage the figures - but we'll be inundated with all this "good news" for the next few months combined with a "giveaway" budget in October to soften up the electorate to the notion of re-electing the current shower in 2016 (expect the GE to be called after the 1916 celebrations when the public will be goofy with patriotic feel-good nonsense).

FF are bad enough, but I'd rather them then Kenny/Burton's bunch who have guillotined legislation without debate and used the whip system to limit our ability to be represented in our national parliament, proven themselves to be just as competent in the cronyism/corruption stakes, and really have done nothing except implement FF/EU policy and bleat on (4 years later!) about what they inherited at every chance.

What I really don't get is this thing about people wanting to come home to this mess after managing to escape it and presumably building lives and opportunity elsewhere!! - by all means come home for a visit (but bring your wallet!) but coming back here as the EU teeters on the edge of a decades long depression would be crazy IMO

FalconGirl

Traffic in the Dublin area has been phenomenally heavy the last few months since after Christmas. Having to constantly adjust leaving the house times. Haven't seen the likes of it in a long time.

nice_guy80

I'd like to see figures excluding job bridge

shamrock55

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Says the Lady who went for a year (for experience rather than need) and is coming back in a few months.


But because I'm doing a year abroad, I don't get to have an opinion apparently. Despite working in Ireland and paying taxes for over 10 years :rolleyes:

I hope you have a job to come back to, as a matter of interest what do all the irish you have met in toronto think of the booming employment back home?

sozbox

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Don't buy it.. as pointed out above there's plenty of ways to massage the figures - but we'll be inundated with all this "good news" for the next few months combined with a "giveaway" budget in October to soften up the electorate to the notion of re-electing the current shower in 2016 (expect the GE to be called after the 1916 celebrations when the public will be goofy with patriotic feel-good nonsense).

FF are bad enough, but I'd rather them then Kenny/Burton's bunch who have guillotined legislation without debate and used the whip system to limit our ability to be represented in our national parliament, proven themselves to be just as competent in the cronyism/corruption stakes, and really have done nothing except implement FF/EU policy and bleat on (4 years later!) about what they inherited at every chance.

This isn't news it's data that has been released. Facts. There's nothing for you to buy or otherwise, it's abundantly clear that employment is up. The INCOME tax returns are up, this is money taken from people's pay. How do you explain the increase in income tax receipts if not with increased employment?

_Kaiser_

FalconGirl wrote: »

Traffic in the Dublin area has been phenomenally heavy the last few months since after Christmas. Having to constantly adjust leaving the house times. Haven't seen the likes of it in a long time.

That's people being forced out into commuter counties again (as happened in the Good Times) because of spiralling rents and property prices.

shamrock55

FalconGirl wrote: »

Traffic in the Dublin area has been phenomenally heavy the last few months since after Christmas. Having to constantly adjust leaving the house times. Haven't seen the likes of it in a long time.

They are all going to jobridge

yipeeeee

Lau2976 wrote: »

Didn't fas course start this month? And a few other schemes I believe. I'd put a lot of that down to smoke and mirrors.

6,000 on jobs bridge only.

everdead.ie

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I'd like to see figures excluding job bridge

6,220 on jobBridge

yipeeeee

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I'd like to see figures excluding job bridge

6,000 on jobs bridge.

Link put up on politics yesterday.