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Before plunging into job applications and such, it is useful to get to know the figures of employment in Ireland.

 

In the first quarter of 2009 there were 1,965,600 persons in employment, an annual decrease of 158,500 or 7.5%. This compares with an annual decrease in employment of 3.9% in the previous quarter and growth of 1.7% in the year to the first quarter of 2008.

 

There was an annual decrease of 122,200 or 10.2% in the number of men in employment, while the number of women in employment decreased by 36,300 or 3.9%.

 

The overall employment rate among persons aged 15-64 fell to 63.2%, down from 68.4% in Q1 2008. This brings the employment rate back to a level comparable to that recorded in the first half of 1999.

 

Full-time employment decreased by 176,200 over the year, with male full-time employment falling by 137,100 and females by 39,200. Part-time employment increased by 17,700, with 14,700 of the increase attributable to males and 2,900 to females.

 

There were 222,800 persons unemployed in the first quarter of 2009, an increase of 113,400 (+103.7%) in the year. Male unemployment increased by 85,300 (+116.7%), with the number of unemployed females increasing by 28,200 (+77.7%). When seasonal factors are taken into account there was a quarterly increase of 42,100 in the numbers unemployed with the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increasing from 8.1% to 10.2% over the quarter. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is now at its highest level since 1997.

 

The total number of persons in the labour force in the first quarter of 2009 was 2,188,400, representing a decrease of 45,100 or 2.0% over the year. This compares with an annual labour force growth of 2.1% or 46,900 in the first quarter of 2008. The overall participation rate for the first quarter of 2009 was 62.0% compared with a rate of 63.5% for Q1 2008.

 

Nine out of the fourteen NACE sectors showed a decrease in employment over the year. The largest decline in employment was recorded in the Construction sector where the numbers employed fell by 72,200 (-28.6%) over the year. The next largest annual decreases in employment were recorded in the Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-30,300) and Industry (-19,600) sectors. The largest increase in employment was seen in the Education sector (+11,400).

 

The latest available figures for all EU27 member states, which are for the fourth quarter of 2008, show that between the fourth quarters of 2007 and 2008 Ireland’s employment level fell by 3.9% while its labour force declined by 0.7%. This compares with employment growth of 0.5% and labour force growth of 1.0% in the EU27 countries. Ireland’s unemployment rate of 7.6% was higher than the EU27 average unemployment rate of 7.3%. The first estimate of employment in the EU27 in the first quarter of 2009 indicates a drop in employment of 1.2% over the year. The estimated unemployment rate for the EU27 in February 2009 was 8.1%.

 

Full-time employment fell by 176,200 on an annual basis with declines in both male (-137,100) and female (-39,200) full-time employment. The largest decreases in full-time employment occurred in the Construction (-77,700), Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-31,200) and Industry (-25,100) sectors. In each of these sectors the decrease in full-time employment was partially offset by a relatively low increase in part-time employment.

 

There was an increase of 17,700 in the numbers employed part-time, with male part-time employment increasing by 14,700 and female part-time employment increasing by 2,900.

 

The majority of occupational groups showed a decline in employment over the year. The largest decreases were in the Craft and related (-56,300), Other (-34,500) and Plant and machine operatives (-26,500) groups.

 

Broad indicative estimates of the labour force status of non-Irish nationals are presented in the annex. There was an estimated 462,300 non-Irish nationals aged 15 years and over in the State in the first quarter of 2009, a decrease of 20,800 or 4.3%. This compares with an increase of 55,200 or 12.9% in the first quarter of 2008. The estimated number of non-Irish nationals in the labour force was 336,400, a decrease of 29,700 over the year. An increase of 38,000 had been recorded in the year to Q1 2008.

 

According to ILO criteria, 287,000 non-Irish nationals were in employment in Q1 2009 representing a decrease of 55,700 over the year. A further 49,400 were unemployed, an increase of 26,000 in the year to Q1 2009. Nationals of the EU Accession states showed a decline in employment of 41,600 and an increase in unemployment of 15,900 over the year.

 

In the first quarter of 2009 non-Irish nationals accounted for 14.6% of all persons aged 15 and over in employment. This had been as high as 16.2% in Q4 2007. Almost 35% of workers in Accommodation and food service activities, 23.3% in the Administrative and support service activities, 20.1% in Information and communication and 16.6% in Industry were non-Irish nationals. The largest decreases in employment for non-Irish nationals occurred in the Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-16,700) and Construction (-14,500) sectors.

 

Employment fell by 46,100 (-8.4%) in the Border, Midland and Western region and by 112,400 (-7.1%) in the Southern and Eastern region in the year to the first quarter of 2009. There were increases of 32,900 (+103.5%) and 80,500 (+103.7%) in the numbers unemployed in the Border, Midland and Western and in the Southern and Eastern regions respectively.

 

The participation rate in the Border, Midland and Western regions was 59.7% compared with a participation rate of 62.8% in the Southern and Eastern region.

 

At NUTS3 level, employment fell in all regions with the Midland (-11.7%) and Border (-9.5%) regions showing the largest percentage decreases. There was an annual decrease of 48,800 (-7.9%) in the numbers in employment in the Dublin region compared with an increase of 5,800 in Q1 2008. All regional data is based on the location of the respondents’ usual address.

 

The number of persons describing their usual situation as “at work” fell by 148,700 in the year to 1,898,200. This compares with an increase of 31,400, in the year to the first quarter of 2008. This fall comprised of 115,800 males and 32,800 females. Meanwhile the number describing themselves as “unemployed” rose by 129,100 in the year to 264,200.

 

The number of students increased by 13,200 in the year to 375,300. In the first quarter of 2009 14.1% of students were in employment, this compares with a rate of 17.2% in Q1 2008. There was a decrease of 9,200 in the number of students in employment over the year.

 

That's a lot of statistics to take in, but the figures are good to know to understand Irish employment trends a little better.

Source: Cso

EU Jobs

 

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