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E-mail: labour@cso.ie Marie O' Connor/ Sheila Bulman (+353) 21 453 5298 / (+353) 453 5222 Catalina Gonzalez (+353) 21 453 5163
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information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-8456
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Monthly Unemployment

February 2020

 Seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (%)
February 2019119,900 5.0
January 2020119,700 4.8
February 2020120,100 4.8
   Percentage Points
Change in month 400  0.0
Change in year 200 - 0.2

Monthly unemployment rate of 4.8% February 2020

Figure 1 Monthly Unemployment  rate seasonally adjusted
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The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2020 was 4.8%, remaining unchanged from January 2020 and down from 5.0% in February 2019.The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 120,100 in February 2020, compared to 119,700 in January 2020. When compared to February 2019, there was an annual increase of 200 in the seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed.

Summary points for February

  • In February 2020 the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.0% for males, remaining unchanged from January 2020, and down from 5.3% in February 2019.
  • The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for females was 4.6% in February 2020, remaining unchanged from January 2020, and up from 4.5% in February 2019.
  • The seasonally adjusted number of males unemployed in February 2020 was 66,700 remaining unchanged from January 2020.  In February 2020 the seasonally adjusted number of females unemployed was 53,400 compared to 52,900 in January 2020.
  • The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for persons aged 15-24 years (youth unemployment rate) was 11.4% in February 2020 down from 11.5% in January 2020.

 

Data in this release are subject to revision, caused by updates to the seasonally adjusted series, whenever new monthly data are added. In addition, it should be noted that larger revisions can occur when the most recent Labour Force Survey (LFS) data are included in the calculation process. 

For further information on recent changes to the Monthly Unemployment methodology, please see Information Note - Monthly Unemployment October 2019 .

Table 1a Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - All persons aged 15-74 years
   Number of persons Unemployment rate (%)
   MalesFemalesAll Persons MalesFemalesAll Persons
2018February76,40062,700139,100 6.05.85.9
 March76,60062,600139,200 6.05.85.9
 April77,40062,400139,800 6.05.75.9
 May77,50062,500139,900 6.05.75.9
 June75,90062,200138,100 5.95.65.8
 July74,20062,100136,300 5.85.65.7
 August72,80062,400135,200 5.75.75.7
 September72,10063,200135,300 5.65.75.7
 October72,60063,900136,500 5.65.85.7
 November72,30063,400135,700 5.65.75.7
 December72,30059,500131,800 5.65.45.5
 
2019January70,90053,300124,200 5.54.85.1
 February69,40050,600119,900 5.34.55.0
 March69,60050,600120,200 5.34.55.0
 April69,50056,200125,700 5.35.05.2
 May68,70056,100124,800 5.35.15.2
 June69,00055,700124,800 5.35.05.2
 July69,90053,600123,500 5.34.85.1
 August69,20051,200120,400 5.34.65.0
 September67,80049,900117,600 5.14.44.8
 October65,00050,300115,300 4.94.54.7
 November64,20050,800115,000 4.84.54.7
 December65,30051,700117,000 4.94.54.7
 
2020January66,70052,900119,700 5.04.64.8
 February66,70053,400120,100 5.04.64.8
Table 1b Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 15-24 years
   Number of persons Unemployment rate (%)
   MalesFemalesAll Persons MalesFemalesAll Persons
2018February21,30017,20038,500 14.713.514.1
 March21,60017,40039,000 14.713.614.2
 April21,40016,80038,200 14.513.113.8
 May21,40016,90038,300 14.412.813.7
 June21,40016,80038,200 14.412.413.5
 July22,00017,30039,300 14.712.413.6
 August22,50017,50040,000 15.012.413.7
 September22,90017,20040,100 15.112.313.8
 October23,10016,60039,700 15.112.213.8
 November23,00015,80038,800 15.011.913.6
 December23,10015,00038,000 15.011.213.3
 
2019January22,30014,00036,300 14.510.312.6
 February21,80013,60035,400 14.39.912.2
 March23,10014,50037,500 15.110.412.9
 April24,10015,50039,600 16.111.213.7
 May24,10015,80039,900 16.211.413.9
 June23,60015,70039,300 15.811.313.6
 July22,50015,00037,500 14.710.912.9
 August21,20014,40035,700 13.810.512.2
 September19,90014,20034,100 12.910.311.7
 October17,90014,30032,200 11.910.011.0
 November17,60014,70032,300 11.710.010.9
 December18,60015,30033,900 12.310.211.2
 
2020January19,80015,60035,300 12.910.111.5
 February20,00015,20035,200 13.09.811.4
Table 1c Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 25-74 years
   Number of persons Unemployment rate (%)
   MalesFemalesAll Persons MalesFemalesAll Persons
2018February55,10045,500100,600 4.94.84.8
 March55,00045,200100,200 4.84.74.8
 April56,00045,600101,600 4.94.74.8
 May56,10045,500101,600 4.94.74.8
 June54,50045,40099,900 4.84.74.7
 July52,20044,80097,000 4.64.74.6
 August50,30044,90095,300 4.44.74.5
 September49,20046,00095,200 4.34.84.5
 October49,50047,30096,800 4.34.94.6
 November49,40047,50096,900 4.34.94.6
 December49,20044,50093,700 4.34.64.4
 
2019January48,60039,30087,900 4.24.04.1
 February47,60037,00084,500 4.13.84.0
 March46,60036,10082,700 4.03.73.9
 April45,40040,60086,100 3.94.24.0
 May44,60040,30084,900 3.94.14.0
 June45,40040,10085,500 3.94.14.0
 July47,40038,60086,000 4.13.94.0
 August48,00036,70084,700 4.13.74.0
 September47,90035,60083,600 4.13.63.9
 October47,10036,00083,100 4.03.73.9
 November46,60036,00082,700 4.03.73.8
 December46,70036,40083,100 4.03.73.8
 
2020January46,90037,40084,300 4.03.83.9
 February46,70038,10084,900 3.93.83.9

Background Notes

Purpose

The purpose of this release is to provide a detailed series of monthly unemployment estimates. The release contains both monthly unemployment rates and monthly unemployment volumes. 

Calculation of Monthly Estimates

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides benchmark estimates of employment and unemployment for each quarter since the beginning of 1998. These quarterly benchmark estimates are then used to compile monthly data using the Proportional Denton method. The main characteristic of this method is that the monthly Live Register series is used as an indicator to disaggregate the quarterly LFS unemployment series into a monthly series in such a way as to minimise the differences between two consecutive months. It also ensures that the average of three months in a particular calendar quarter is equal to the corresponding LFS estimate.

For months where the quarterly unemployment data is not yet available, the ratio of the LFS monthly estimate to the Live Register monthly estimate (i.e. the benchmark to indicator ratio) is forecast forward in order to extrapolate a monthly LFS estimate. This approach adheres to agreed international practice.

Seasonal Adjustment

To correct for typical seasonal patterns, the data series included have been concurrently seasonally adjusted. This seasonal adjustment is completed by applying the X-12-ARIMA model, developed by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the case of these monthly unemployment estimates, seasonal adjustment is conducted using the indirect approach, where each individual series is independently adjusted.  To preserve consistency between the individual and aggregate series, the series for gender, age group and total monthly unemployed are then created from these component series. The series for monthly unemployment rates are likewise created from these component series.

Additional Background Information

Further information regarding the LFS and Live Register series are available from each respective release, while specific information regarding the new LFS and the impact of the revisions arising from the Census of Population 2016 is available in an additional information note.

 

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