Ivor Callely
Question:1 Mr. Callely asked the Taoiseach the number of unemployed for April 1994; the method used to compile the unemployment figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions Written Answers. - Unemployment Figures.
Official estimates of various labour force aggregates are compiled on an annual basis in respect of mid-April, based on the series of annual Labour Force Surveys. The LFS is a large sample survey covering some 45,000 households with about 150,000 residents.
The latest LFS estimates available relate to April 1993 when it was estimated that 230,000 people were unemployed out of a total estimated labour force of 1,375,000. This is based on the survey respondents' own assessment of their principal economic status — i.e. at work, unemployed, on home duties, retired, etc. — in reply to a question put by the interviewer. It is anticipated that preliminary results from the 1994 LFS will be available next October.
Pending publication of the LFS results, the live register is taken as a short term trend indicator of the underlying changes in unemployment. Between April 1993 and April 1994 the live register decreased from 294,618 persons to 284,509, a fall of over 10,000. The standardised unemployment rate is estimated at 15.2 per cent in April 1994 compared with 15.8 per cent in April 1993.