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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Dec 1988

Vol. 385 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Leavers Statistics.

173.

asked the Minister for Labour the total number of school leavers who finished their education in the following years (a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987, (d) 1988; in respect of each of the above years (i) the total number who chose to continue their education, (ii) the number who obtained employment and remained in such employment after 1 October in each year, (iii) the number who applied for and obtained unemployment benefit or assistance in respect of each year; in the event of the figure at (i) (ii) and (iii) being short of the total number of school-leavers in any year, where such school leavers are at present engaged; the capacity in which they are at present engaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The data available to my Department relating to school leavers is that derived from the annual survey on the economic status of school-leavers, conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute on behalf of the Department. The results of the survey are based on a national sample of approximately 2,000 leavers drawn from the estimated total of 65,000 who leave second-level education annually. The survey does not cover those leaving primary or third level education.

The published results of the two most recent surveys relate to students who left second-level education during the 1984-85 and 1985-86 academic years. Table 1 provides details of the economic status of the leavers from these two years as at the month of October following their departure from school.

The results of the most recent survey on leavers from the 1986-87 academic year will be available within the coming month.

Table 1

School Leavers Survey

Economic status of second-level school-leavers from the 1984-85 and 1985-86 academic years in October of the year of leaving

October1985

October1986

Employed

21,200

21,900

Unemployed—after loss of job

800

1,600

Unemployed—seeking first job

17,200

16,400

Student

19,900

21,300

Unavailable for work

2,000

1,600

Emigrated

2,600

2,800

Total

63,700*

65,600*

*Figures have been rounded so that the components might not necessarily add up to the totals shown.

During the period following October, more of the young people would have entered employment and left other categories including that of "unemployed — seeking first job".

Data are not available regarding the number of leavers in 1984-85 or 1985-86 who applied for unemployment benefit or assistance. Table 2, however, gives an estimate, based on survey data, of the number of leavers from each of these years who were in receipt of unemployment payments. However, these data are based on a relatively small number of survey responses and, as a result, should not be regarded as a reliable indication of the actual numbers involved. It must be stressed that the data are not directly comparable as the figures in Table 2 refer to the position of leavers in May-June of the year following their departure from school and not to the previous October.

Table 2

Number of second-level school leavers from the 1984-85 and 1985-86 academic years registered as unemployed in May-June of the year following their departure from school

Form of Benefit

Year Leaving School

1984-85

1985-86

Receiving U.B.

479

298

Receiving U.A.

3,282

3,839

Signing on for credits

161

124

Awaiting decision on entitlements

517

886

Total

4,439

5,147

Proportion of total unemployed at this time

31.5%

34.5%

Proportion of school-leaving population

7.0%

7.8%

The Department of Labour do not have any information regarding the current status of persons who left second-level education in the 1984-85 and 1985-86 academic years. The most comprehensive study on the employment experience of young Irish people over an extended period of time is "The Young Long Term Unemployed". The survey was carried out in April-May 1985 and was published by the Youth Employment Agency in June, 1986.

The series of school leavers' surveys have highlighted the needs of early and disadvantaged school leavers and their difficulties in obtaining employment. The results have underlined the necessity for the special new measures recently announced as part of the Government's Youthreach programme.

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