Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Statistical Information.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

146 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the current level of unemployment in the Tallaght area, Dublin 24; the comparative figure for the past five years concerning unemployment in this area at this time of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16402/02]

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Ms Hanafin):

The exact information as requested by the Deputy is not available. Statistics on employment and unemployment are compiled, at a regional level, from the Quarterly National Household Survey. The latest statistics show that there were 20,300 people classified as unemployed in the Dublin region in the March-May quarter of 2002. Sub-regional statistics, of the kind requested by the Deputy, are not available from the Quarterly National Household Survey.

The Quarterly National Household Survey figures for the Dublin region from 1998 to 2002 inclusive are as follows:

QNHS Number of Persons unemployed in the Dublin region

March to May 1998	37,400
March to May 1999	25,400
March to May 2000	19,000
March to May 2001	16,500
March to May 2002	20,300

The live register series gives a monthly breakdown of the number of people claiming unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit and other claimants registered with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Figures are published for each county and each local social welfare office. A breakdown by postal district is not available. The most recent information available is for September 2002. 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 unemployment assistance or benefit. Statistics on unemployment are measured at regional level by the Quarterly National Household Survey. The exact area covered by each local office is not limited to the immediate locality of the particular office, for instance, in the Tallaght local office there may be registered persons from the Blessington area.

The live register figures for the Tallaght local office from 1998 to September 2002 are set out in the following table:

Tallaght Local Office

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1998	6,254	6,142	6,018	5,900	5,526	5,539	5,655	5,508	5,218	5,045	4,809	4,901
1999	4,934	4,769	4,630	4,599	4,551	4,576	4,797	4,893	4,580	4,106	3,842	3,844
2000	3,961	3,907	3,670	3,587	3,384	3,377	3,515	3,489	3,130	2,912	2,751	2,783
2001	2,790	2,698	2,598	2,627	2,524	2,728	2,981	3,011	2,767	2,690	2,785	2,882
2002	3,156	3,169	3,248	3,148	3,109	3,275	3,486	3,456	3,208