Fall In Live Register Figures

Latest figures, published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), reveal a slight decline in Live Register numbers for December 2014.

Compared to November, the CSO said there was a fall of 3,300 people.

This is the 37th consecutive month of decline in live register figures.

Ireland's unemployment rate is now at 10.6%, down from 15.1% in February 2012.

Over the last 12 months, figures revealed that more than 140,000 people left the live register to enter employment. In addition, the live register has fallen in all eight regions of Ireland over the past 12 months.

Commenting on the statistics, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, said: "Job-creation is the Government's top priority. Every job created is a life changed, a family improved and a community enhanced. Also crucially, it is by job-creation and economic growth that we can put money back in people's pockets through tax cuts and improve public services that people rely on.

"The Action Plan for Jobs is working. Since it was launched, 80,000 additional people are at work. In recent days we have seen further good news, with strong Exchequer returns and IDA results for 2014. This has not happened by accident – it is by consistently pursuing our plan to improve competitiveness and provide new supports for job creation that this can take place. The Pathways to Work strategy driven by Joan Burton has been very effective at ensuring that people are taken off the live register to fill these extra jobs."

However, he added: "Many people are not yet feeling the effects, and with unemployment still above 10% we have a long way to go. However today's figures can give people further confidence that if we continue implementing our plan, we can continue to grow the economy, create jobs, reduce unemployment and ultimately create a better country for people to live in."

(JP)