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

irishfeen · 04-03-2015 06:28PM #1

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 · 04-03-2015 06:30PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:32PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:33PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:35PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:35PM

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

irishfeen · 04-03-2015 06:35PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:36PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:37PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:38PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:41PM

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

irishfeen · 04-03-2015 06:42PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:43PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:44PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:46PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:46PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:47PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:49PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:50PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:50PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:52PM

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 · 04-03-2015 06:53PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:03PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:07PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:08PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:12PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:27PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:31PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:32PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:34PM

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 · 04-03-2015 07:36PM

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

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

Comments