Significant rise in Ireland's long term unemployed
The number of people signing on for unemployment benefits for over a year in Ireland
has risen significantly. According to new figures released by the country’s Central
Statistic’s Office 50,000 people signed on for welfare assistance in the past year.
There
was also a slight increase in the live register which showed nearly half a million
people on unemployment benefit.
Lydia O’Kane spoke to the Director of Social
Justice Ireland, Father Sean Healy about these latest figures.
He says they
are not unexpected adding, “ that a lot of people become long term unemployed by definition
after one year”.
He goes on to say however that the proportion of people who
are long term unemployed in the country is “the highest ever”. Listen