Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 5

Written Answers. - Live Register.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

105 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of unemployed on the live register who received full unemployment benefits or allowances at the end of each quarter in each of the years from 1995 to 1999. [26546/99]

Jim Mitchell

Question:

107 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the average cost per year of every 1000 persons on full-time unemployment payments; the additional annual costs of other State benefits, welfare or payments claimed by those on full unemployment payments, such as medical cards, supplementary welfare rent allowances or subsidies. [26579/99]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 107 together.

The details sought by the Deputy are available only from end-December 1997 and are shown in the following table. They include the total number of persons on the live register adjusted to take account of those people who are not entitled to a payment in respect of a full week's unemployment, namely those signing for credits only; casual workers, those receiving a payment for part of a week and in employment for the remainder, others not entitled to a payment – claims awaiting decision, suspended etc.

Data before the end of December 1997 are limited because statistical data on sub-categories within the live register were not then collected.

The projected average live register for 2000 is 170,000 and the average cost of unemployment payments per 1000 persons on the live register, allowing for increases in payments provided for in the budget, is £3.9 million.
The average cost per annum of every 1000 persons on the live register who are actually in receipt of a payment for full weeks of unemployment is estimated at £4.47 million. Fully unemployed persons may also qualify for additional benefits such as rent subsidy, fuel allowance and payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme but information as to the average cost of these payments for such persons is not available.
Persons who are Entitled to a Payment in Respect of a Full Week's Unemployment

Date

Live Register

Full Unemployment Payment

December 1997

247,700

181,700

March 1998

234,800

172,300

June 1998

228,900

167,600

September 1998

219,200

161,500

December 1998

215,800

158,000

March 1999

201,200

145,000

June 1999

195,500

137,200

September 1999

186,200

129,100

Top
Share