This article is from page 7 of the 2014-08-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
UNEMPLOYMENT figures rose for the second month in a row in July, despite a reported increase in the numbers being employed in the county’s tourism sector.
With good weather bringing a large number of visitors to Clare beauty spots, especially on coastal areas, a significant drop in the number of people signing on the live register had been expected for July.
However, the number of people signing on increased from 8,717 in June to 8,796 in July – an increase of 79 people or just under 1 per cent.
While the June increase in the live register figures was understood to be a result of a large number of university students being unable to find summer work after the end of the college year – it is as yet unclear what has caused the negative trend to continue into July.
As in the previous month, the Ennistymon Area Office was the only area to record a reduction in the live register last month with numbers falling from 1,314 to 1,310.
The largest personnel increase in the live register was felt in Ennis where the number signing on increase from 4,934 in June to 4,968 last month.
This increase of 34 people represents a 0.6 per cent jump in just a month.
The largest percentage increase was recorded in West Clare however with the Kilrush office recording a 2.6 per cent increase in the numbers signing on.
A total of 1,255 signed on in West Clare last month, an increase of 32 on the 1,223 who signed on in June.
East Clare saw a similar trend with the numbers increase by 17 from 1,246 in June to 1,263 – an increase of 1.4 per cent.
While the recent months have shown a downward turn, the numbers recorded on last months live register is still far smaller than those recorded in of July 2012 and 2013. Indeed, last months figure represents a reduction of 1,641 people or more than 15 per cent when compared to the same month in 2012.
This recent negative turn on the county’s live register comes after consistent reduction saw the number drop it their lowest levels since the start of the recession in May of this year.