Minister Doherty Welcomes Labour Force Survey Results for Quarter 2 2019

Tuesday, 27 August, 2019

The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D., welcomed the findings in the Labour Force Survey for Quarter 2 2019 published today, which show that employment has increased by 45,000 or 2 per cent in the year to the second quarter of 2019.

Minister Doherty welcomed the drop in long-term unemployment which decreased by 8,100 over the year, bringing the total long-term unemployment to 40,800. Minister Doherty commented:

“Looking over the past 12 months, including the first six months of this year, I am particularly happy to see that the unadjusted unemployment rate is 5.4%, down from 6% in the same period last year, and a significant reduction from the peak of 15.9% in 2012. I am also pleased to note that full-time employment rose 39,400 and part-time employment was up 5,700 over this same period.”

The Minister pointed to a series of Employer Roadshows that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is currently hosting in a number of venues nationwide. The first two of these were held in Kilkenny and Cork yesterday.

Minister Doherty emphasised:

“Employers and business are essential to our economy and my Department appreciates and supports their role in helping people secure a place in the job market. These Employer Roadshow events are one part of our approach to strengthening and growing links with local employers.”

The aim of the Employer Roadshows is to promote supports and incentives available to employers from the Department and to encourage employers to avail of schemes and incentives and, in particular those that will assist jobseekers who are in need of support to enter the labour market - including information on schemes such as JobsPlus, the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) and the recruitment services and other supports available from Intreo and JobsIreland.ie.

This approach supports Future Jobs Ireland, launched earlier this year by the Taoiseach, which outlined the longer-term ambitions for the future of our economy.

ENDS