Quarterly National Household Survey Quarter 1 2011

Quarterly National Household Survey Quarter 1 2011

Summary of headline results - Q1 2011

pp=percentage points

Number of Persons Unemployed

• The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 14.8% to 14.0% between the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 with the seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed decreasing by 21,900 (-6.9%) from 317,900 to 296,000 over the same period. This partially reverses the increase in unemployment recorded on a seasonally adjusted basis between the third and fourth quarters of 2010 when the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had increased from 13.5% to 14.8%. The movements in the seasonally adjusted series are discussed in more detail within the release.

• Male unemployment increased by 6,900 (+3.5%) to 201,800 over the year while female unemployment increased by 13,600 (+17.0%) to 93,800.

• The long-term unemployment rate increased from 5.3% to 7.8% over the year to Q1 2011. Long-term unemployment accounted for 55.1% of total unemployment in Q1 2011 compared with 40.9% a year earlier and 22.0% in the first quarter of 2009.

Number of Persons in Employment

• The number of employed persons in the first quarter of 2011 was 1,804,200, an annual decrease of 53,400 or 2.9%. This compares with an annual decrease of 3.4% in the previous quarter and a decrease of 5.5% in the year to Q1 2010.

• On a seasonally adjusted basis, employment fell by 9,300 (-0.5%) in the quarter. This follows on from a seasonally adjusted fall in employment of 12,600 (-0.7%) in Q4 2010.

Labour Force

• The total number of persons in the labour force in the first quarter of 2011 was 2,099,900, representing a decrease of 32,800 (-1.5%) over the year. This compares with an annual labour force decrease of 55,700 (-2.5%) in Q1 2010.

For further information contact

Brian Ring on 021 453 5747, Tara Davis on 021 453 5093 or Martina O'Callaghan on 021 453 5491
Fax 021 453 5492
E-mail labour@cso.ie

Central Statistics Office                                                                    16 June 2011

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