LFS estimates were updated on 22nd Feb 2024 to incorporate updated population estimates for the period 2016 Q3 to 2023 Q3, based on the results of Census 2022. LFS results are updated in this way following each Census of Population. For further information see Background Notes.
The data in this publication does not reflect these updates. Please refer to the relevant tables on LFS Px-stat for updated LFS estimates.
Numbers unemployed up by 52.0% to 184,100 in the year to Q2 2021
Numbers unemployed and the unemployment Rate
The number of persons aged 15-74 years who were unemployed rose by 63,000 (+52.0%) to 184,100 in the year to Q2 2021, using the standard LFS labour market criteria. The overall unadjusted unemployment rate increased from 5.4% to 7.3% over the year to Q2 2021. See Table 9.1.
Unemployment grew by 33,500 (+50.9%) for males to 99,500 in the year to Q2 2021 compared with a rise of 29,500 (+53.5%) to 84,600 for females over the same period. The unemployment rate for males was 7.4% in Q2 2021 up from 5.4% a year earlier while the corresponding rates for females were 7.2% and 5.4% respectively. See Tables 9.1 and 9.7.
While the unemployment rate for persons aged 15-74 stood at 7.3% in Q2 2021 there were differences by age with a rate as low as 3.5% for those aged 65-74 years and as high as 32.6% for those aged 15-19 years. Those age groups also had the lowest and highest unemployment rates a year earlier but the rates then stood at 1.4% and 27.1% respectively. The unemployment rate for those aged 15-24 years is known as the Youth Unemployment Rate; it stood at 21.1% in Q2 2021 up from 17.9% in Q2 2020. See Table 9.8.
On an annual basis, unemployment increased in all of the eight NUTS 3 regions with the largest increase occurring in the Dublin region (+17,800) followed by the South-West region (+13,800). See Table 9.9.
Duration of Unemployment
Nearly seven in ten unemployed people in Q2 2021 were in short-term unemployment (less than one year). Over the year to Q2 2021, short-term unemployment rose by 34,100 (+37.4%) to 125,200 while there was a rise of 23,800 (92.8%) in the numbers of long-term unemployed to 49,500.
The long-term unemployment rate increased from 1.1% to 2.0% between Q2 2020 and Q2 2021. Just over a quarter (26.9%) of unemployed persons were in long-term unemployment in Q2 2021 which is up from 21.2% a year earlier. See Table 9.6.
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