The Live Register series gives a monthly breakdown of the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance and other registrants as registered with the Department of Social Protection. Table 1 shows the number of persons on the Live Register over the period January 2010 to September 2014. It should be noted that the Live Register is not a definitive measure of unemployment as it includes part-time workers, and seasonal and casual workers entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit or Allowance. The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of estimates of employment and unemployment in the State. The Q2 2014 estimates are the most recent QNHS figures available. Table 2 shows the number of persons unemployed and the unemployment rates from Quarter 1 2010 to Quarter 2 2014.
Table 1 The number of persons on the Live Register from January 2010 to September 2014
2010
|
-
|
January
|
436,936
|
February
|
436,956
|
March
|
435,121
|
April
|
432,657
|
May
|
437,922
|
June
|
452,882
|
July
|
466,824
|
August
|
466,923
|
September
|
442,417
|
October
|
429,553
|
November
|
425,002
|
December
|
437,079
|
2011
|
-
|
January
|
442,677
|
February
|
444,299
|
March
|
441,193
|
April
|
439,571
|
May
|
440,947
|
June
|
457,948
|
July
|
470,284
|
August
|
469,713
|
September
|
437,441
|
October
|
430,432
|
November
|
429,567
|
December
|
434,784
|
2012
|
-
|
January
|
439,589
|
February
|
439,422
|
March
|
434,054
|
April
|
430,001
|
May
|
432,907
|
June
|
451,974
|
July
|
460,323
|
August
|
456,256
|
September
|
429,335
|
October
|
420,172
|
November
|
417,277
|
December
|
423,733
|
2013
|
-
|
January
|
429,396
|
February
|
428,876
|
March
|
425,088
|
April
|
417,593
|
May
|
421,737
|
June
|
435,357
|
July
|
441,976
|
August
|
435,280
|
September
|
408,670
|
October
|
396,512
|
November
|
391,507
|
December
|
395,411
|
2014
|
-
|
January
|
399,630
|
February
|
398,069
|
March
|
391,232
|
April
|
388,559
|
May
|
388,764
|
June
|
398,813
|
July
|
404,515
|
August
|
398,325
|
September
|
370,050
|
Source: CSO Live Register
Table 2 Persons aged 15 years and over classified as unemployed (ILO) and unemployment rates from Q1 2010 to Q2 2014
Quarter
|
Unemployed ('000)
|
Unemployment rate %
|
Q1 10
|
284.1
|
13.1
|
Q2 10
|
305.1
|
13.9
|
Q3 10
|
310.6
|
14.1
|
Q4 10
|
310.9
|
14.3
|
Q1 11
|
307.6
|
14.3
|
Q2 11
|
317.4
|
14.6
|
Q3 11
|
328.1
|
15.1
|
Q4 11
|
313.9
|
14.5
|
Q1 12
|
321.9
|
15.0
|
Q2 12
|
323.0
|
15.0
|
Q3 12
|
324.5
|
15.0
|
Q4 12
|
294.6
|
13.7
|
Q1 13
|
292.0
|
13.7
|
Q2 13
|
300.7
|
13.9
|
Q3 13
|
282.9
|
13.0
|
Q4'13
|
253.2
|
11.7
|
Q1 14
|
258.1
|
12.0
|
Q2 14
|
254.5
|
11.8
|
Source: Quarterly National Household Survey, Central Statistics Office.';
Reference period: q1=Jan-Mar, q2=Apr-Jun, q3=Jul-Sep, q4=Oct-Dec.