Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 4

Written Answers. - Unemployment Levels.

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

172 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the number of people unemployed in 2001, 2002 and in 2003 to date in specific areas (details supplied). [4735/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Ms Hanafin):

The exact information requested by the Deputy is not available. Statistics on employment and unemployment are compiled, at a regional level, from the Quarterly National Household Survey. The latest statistics show that there were 11,900 people classified as unemployed in the south west region in the June to August quarter of 2002. The south west region consists of Cork city, Cork county and Kerry. Sub-regional statistics, of the kind requested by the Deputy, are not available from the Quarterly National Household Survey.

The Quarterly National Household Survey figures for the south west region from 2001 to 2002 inclusive are as follows:–

Unemployment in the South-West region (Thousands)

December-February 2001	9.4
March-May 2001	9.4
June-August 2001	10.9
September-November 2001	10.0
December-February 2002	11.4
March-May 2002	10.3
June-August 2002	11.9

The live register series gives a monthly breakdown of the number of people claiming unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit and other claimants registered with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Figures are published for each county and each local social welfare office. A breakdown by postal district is not available. The most recent information available is for January 2003. It should be noted that: the live register is not a definitive measure of unemployment as it includes part-time workers, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment assistance or benefit, statistics on unemployment are measured at regional level by the Quarterly National Household Survey; and the exact area covered by each local office is not limited to the immediate locality of the particular office. For instance, in the Tallaght local office persons from the Blessington area may be registered.

The live register figures for the local offices of Cobh, Midleton and Youghal from January 2001 to January 2003 are set out in the following table:

	County Cork				Cobh				Midleton				Youghal
Year	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003
January	14,404	17,578	18,089	421	492	484	813	983	1,131	501	755	734
February	14,096	18,224		395	474		839	971		488	712
March	13,722	17,429		369	477		764	992		492	670
April	14,028	16,783		348	435		728	938		500	672
May	13,761	16,434		330	417		718	941		693	636
June	14,823	17,656		504	440		747	1,014		521	667
July	15,332	18,480		443	434		794	1,052		573	688
August	15,811	18,631		455	446		845	1,067		583	679

	County Cork				Cobh				Midleton				Youghal
Year	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003	2001	2002	2003
September	14,739	17,412		419	422		785	987		548	602
October	15,838	16,806		407	445		807	953		555	599
November	16,368	16,795		438	478		879	1,003		652	629
December	16,698	17,456		456	475		931	1,077		683	721
Average	14,968	17,474		415	453		804	998		566	669