Vol. 521 No. 4
2 Mr. Broughan asked the Taoiseach his views on whether the live register is an important labour force indicator; if he supports the continuing publication of the live register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15032/00]
The monthly live register figures show how many people are claiming unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit or signing for social welfare credits. At the end of May there were 152,871 persons on the live regis ter. The results are normally published within a week, making the live register a widely used short-term indicator. The Central Statistics Office's monthly releases contain a considerable amount of detail at local level, including breakdowns of the number of claimants by sex, age group and type.
However, the live register does not measure unemployment on a basis that is comparable over time or between countries. It is an administrative measure and the figures reflect people's benefit status as distinct from their labour force status. It includes many people who are not unemployed, for example, part-time workers who are entitled under the social welfare rules to sign on in respect of days when they do not have work.
The primary source of comparable statistics on unemployment is the quarterly national household survey. This provides quarterly figures on employment and unemployment which meet the ILO's guidelines for internationally comparable labour force statistics. Now that the main results of this survey are being published within three months, the CSO has established a labour market statistics liaison group which will advise the office on how its labour market publications can best meet the needs of data users. This will include the continuing publication of live register statistics as well as more detailed results from the quarterly national household survey. There are no plans to discontinue the publication of the live register in the foreseeable future.
How many of the 152,871 people on the live register are seasonal or part-time workers and how many sign on for credits? In other words, how many people are continuously unavailable for work?
A key statistic to emerge from the most recent set of monthly figures is the 50,000 people, many of whom live in some of the most deprived areas of the city, who are on long-term unemployment. When commenting on this matter, the Tánaiste stated she would give significant consideration to the needs of these people. The northside partnership, of which I am a director, discovered that many of the 50,000 unemployed people to whom I refer may suffer from some form of disability, are recovering from addiction or have experienced other major long-term problems. What action does the Minister of State intend to take to provide these people with employment?
The total number of people registered as unemployed on the quarterly national household survey is 81,500, of which 29,500 could be said to be in the long-term category. Three years ago, that figure was 86,000 but it has since decreased to 29,500 indicating a considerable reduction of well over 50% in the level of long-term unemployment. We are beginning to target the hard core of long-term unemployment.
The Deputy asked about part-time workers and the number of such workers is 23,200. Some 24,100 people are not in receipt of a payment, 13,200 of whom are signing for credits. The balance of people in receipt of payment for a full week is 105,600. One is essentially comparing two measures here, namely the live register and the quarterly national household survey which is the more accurate measure of unemployment.
Are recipients of payments under the farm assist scheme included in those figures?
No.
Does the Minister accept that the live register is quite redundant as a means of measuring unemployment? Will the Government consider renaming that useful statistic as a breakdown of those in receipt of social welfare benefits relating to employment? Many people on the live register are employed part-time in a capacity which they choose and are not seeking other employment. Does the Department gather any statistics on people, particularly women in the home, who might seek to be in the jobs market but who are not currently counted on any register or survey?
An argument could be made that the live register is a redundant means of measuring unemployment and a survey is currently being undertaken on that matter. In 1986, the gap between the live register and the quarterly national household survey was only 5,000 but grew to 90,000 in 1996.
It has been baldly stated in recent years that the live register is not a measure of unemployment and that the quarterly national household survey, which has been in existence since 1997, is the new measure of unemployment as it is a rolling, week to week indicator in which people describe their own status. To that extent, the live register could be said to be redundant as a measure of unemployment. However, the live register includes many different groups of people who, for various reasons, do not describe themselves as being unemployed and, for that reason, it would be useful to retain it. Its title is another matter and I will listen to any suggestions the Deputy may have in that regard.
Some part-time and occasional workers sign on when they are not employed. As a result of the equality legislation introduced in the mid 1980s, the number of women entitled to sign on increased without any change occurring in their labour force status. The introduction of signing on as an eligibility requirement for subsequent participation in employment or training schemes, changes in the rules and practices in regard to means testing, changes in the level of unemployment assistance and benefit and arrangements for the splitting of entitlements between spouses are some of the reasons, with which the Deputy will be familiar, which throw up these differences. The title of the live register is a debatable issue but its content is a useful body of data.
I agree that it is a useful body of data. Will the Minister of State respond to the final part of my question? It is abundantly clear that there is a shortage of workers in the economy and it is also abundantly clear to those knocking on doors in recent times that a significant number of women in the home would love to return to the labour market after years of absence.
The Deputy should put a question to the Minister.
Does the Minister of State's Department have any mechanism to quantify those people who would love to be in the labour market but who are not currently on any list or are there any proposals to gather such data which would be of great interest to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister for Public Enterprise?
I understand the Ministers for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social, Family and Community Affairs have received a major report containing 24 recommendations. They have already implemented a number of them and they are examining the rest, including the issue to which the Deputy refers. They will have some progress to report before long.
When will that be published?
The report has already been published.
Does the Minister of State expect action?
I expect the Ministers will take note.
There are thousands of jobs. There is plenty of action.
The problem is to match the skills to the jobs.
