This article is from page 10 of the 2014-07-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
UNEMPLOYMENT figures suffered an unexpected blow last month with a sharp rise in the number of people signing on the life register in the county. The number of people singing on in Clare increased from 8,585 in May to 8,717 last month.
This represents a month on month overall increases of 132 people – or 1.5 per cent. This news comes on the back of months of good news for the live register in the county with the May figures being the lowest recorded in Clare since February of 2009 – more than five years ago.
It is likely this this increase is being driven by a large number of university students coming back to the county for the summer and not be- ing able to find summer work. The increase was felt all over the county, except in the Ennistymon area office, where the effects of the summer tourism trade possibly offset and major increase.
The largest increase in the live register was felt in Ennis where the number signing on increase from 4,848 in May to 4,934 last month. This increase of 86 people represents a 1.8 per cent jump in just a month.
The largest percentage increase was recorded in East Clare however with the Tulla office recording a 3.2 per cent increase in the numbers signing on. A total of 1,246 signed on in East Clare last month, an increase of 38 on the 1,208 who signed on in May.
West Clare saw a similar trend with the numbers increase by 25 from 1,198 in May to 1,223 – an increase of 25 people or 2.1 per cent.
Only North Clare recorded a decrease with the number of people signing on falling from 1,331 in May to 1,314 last month – a decrease of 17 people of 1.3 per cent.
This negative turn on the county’s live register comes after consistent reduction saw the number drop to their lowest levels since the start of the recession.