Vol. 512 No. 6
80 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Taoiseach the number of unemployed in each quarter in each of years from 1995 to date; and the percentage this number represents of the total workforce as represented in the quarterly national household survey. [26597/99]
81 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Taoiseach the number in the workforce in each of the years from 1995 to date; and if he will define the type of person included. [26598/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 81 together.
Figures on employment and unemployment were compiled annually from the labour force survey up to April 1997; and, since the fourth quarter of 1997, corresponding quarterly figures have been available from the quarterly national household survey.
The figures on employment and unemployment are compiled in accordance with the internationally-recognised ILO labour force definitions. Persons in employment are those who worked for one hour or more for payment or profit in the week before the survey, including work on the family farm or business, and all persons who had a job but were not at work because of illness, holidays etc. in the week. Unemployed persons are those who, in the week before the survey were without work, were available for work, and had taken specific steps in the preceding four weeks to find work. The labour force comprises persons employed plus unemployed. The unemployment rate is the number of persons unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force.
The following table sets out the numbers in employment, the number of unemployed, the labour force and the unemployment rate in April 1995, 1996 and 1997 and in each quarter since September-November 1997.
|
Survey/Time period |
In employment |
Unemployed |
Labour Force |
Unemployment rate (%) |
|
LFS |
||||
|
April 1995 |
1,281.7 |
177.4 |
1,459.2 |
12.2 |
|
April 1996 |
1,328.5 |
179.0 |
1,507.5 |
11.9 |
|
April 1997 |
1,379.9 |
159.0 |
1,539.0 |
10.3 |
|
QNHS |
||||
|
Sep-Nov 1997 |
1,472.3 |
171.6 |
1,643.9 |
10.4 |
|
Dec-Feb 1997/98 |
1,483.1 |
138.6 |
1,621.6 |
8.5 |
|
Mar-May 1998 |
1,494.5 |
126.6 |
1,621.1 |
7.8 |
|
Jan-Aug 1998 |
1,559.7 |
128.9 |
1,688.6 |
7.6 |
|
Sep-Nov 1998 |
1,544.7 |
106.0 |
1,650.7 |
6.4 |
|
Dec/Feb 1998/99 |
1,555.0 |
95.1 |
1,650.1 |
5.8 |
|
Mar-May 1999 |
1,591.1 |
96.9 |
1,688.1 |
5.7 |
