Live register figures down 40% over last five years

The number of people on the live register has dropped by over 40% over the last five years, according to new statistics from the CSO.

At the end of March, there were 4,654 people on the live register in Dundalk, and 10,521 in Louth as a whole, a figure which has continued to fall year on year.

But despite this, calls for reform to help the long term unemployed were made last week.

Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd said: ‘ Thankfully the number of CE Scheme participants has fallen as the Live Register continues to fall.

The latest CSO data for March shows that the Live Register dropped by 40.81% in Louth since the launch of Fine Gael’s Action Plan for Jobs in February 2012.’

He added: ‘However it’s important we make reforms to the scheme to ensure a greater number of long-term unemployed people here in Louth can take up the places, gain valuable skills and experience, and support community services.

‘CE Schemes provide work experience and training for people who are long-term unemployed, but they also benefit communities across the county by supporting community services in childcare, health and social care, outdoor works and local facilities.’

He explained that in Louth the overall number of scheme places available in 2017 will be just over 900. CE will continue to be the largest programme this year with 733 places available. The balance will be made up of 12 placements in the Rural Social Scheme and 174 places in Tús.

‘A guaranteed minimum number of places will be available in Louth by linking the places to the number of people on the Live Register.

This will better enable the scheme to meet demand.’