Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 31 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 2

Written Answers. - Live Register.

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

11 Mr. Broughan asked the Taoiseach his views on whether the live register is still 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 Taoiseach:

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 April, there were 161,796 persons on the live register.

The results are normally published within a week, making the live register a widely-used short-term indicator. The CSO'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 of claimant.

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 survey 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. It is not envisaged that the live register statement would be discontinued in the foreseeable future.