Quarterly National Household Survey Quarter 4 2008
Employment falls by 4.1%
In the fourth quarter of 2008 there were 2,052,000 persons in employment, an annual decrease of 86,900 or 4.1%. The largest annual decrease in employment since the labour force survey was first undertaken in 1975. This compares with an annual decrease in employment of 1.2% in the previous quarter and growth of 3.2% in the year to the fourth quarter of 2007.
The overall employment rate among persons aged 15-64 fell to 65.8%, down from 69.0% in Q4 2007. This brings the employment rate back to a level comparable to that last recorded in the first half of 2004.
| Main Results Q42008 |
Persons
|
Change in Quarter
|
Change in Year
|
| Employment |
2,052,000
|
-68,800
|
-86,900
|
| Unemployment |
170.600
|
+10,000
|
+69,600
|
| Labour Force |
2,222,700
|
-58,700
|
-17,200
|
Full-time employment declines by almost 94,000 over the year
Full-time employment fell by 93,900 on an annual basis with declines in both male (-76,600) and female (-17,300) full-time employment. The largest decreases in full-time employment occurred in the Construction (-48,800), Other production industries (-15,500) and Wholesale and retail trade (-14,000) sectors.
Number of unemployed increases to over 170,000
There were 117,800 males and 52,900 females unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2008, bringing the total number of unemployed up to 170,600, an increase of 69,600 (+68.9%) in the year. The number of unemployed males increased by 54,200, with female unemployment increasing by 15,400.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the male and female unemployment rates stood at 9.2% and 5.4% respectively. The overall seasonally adjusted rate was 7.7% in Q4 2008, up from 6.4% in Q3.
For further information contact
Tara Davis on 021 453 5093 or Martina O'Callaghan on 021 453 5491
Fax 021 453 5492
E-mail labour@cso.ie
27 February 2009
- ENDS -