Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:2. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach the number of persons recorded as unemployed in the State at the end of each year from 1986 to 2025, in tabular form. [23008/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 25 March 2026
Ceisteanna (2)
Freagraí scríofa
Referred to CSO for answer
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the official source of estimates of unemployment in the State, data for the LFS is collected quarterly. The most recent figures available are for Q4 2025. The table for this response use Q4 as the reference period for the year from 1998-2025.
The estimates from 1986-1997 are from annual LFS reports undertaken in April/May of the reference year and are not directly comparable with the estimates from 1998-2025.
Table 1 shows the total number of persons classified as unemployed by International Labour Organisation’s definition. LFS 1986-2025.
|
Year* |
Unemployment (Thousand) |
|
1986 |
226.4 |
|
1987 |
225.4 |
|
1988 |
217.3 |
|
1989 |
196.8 |
|
1990 |
172.4 |
|
1991 |
198.5 |
|
1992 |
206.6 |
|
1993 |
220.1 |
|
1994 |
211.0 |
|
1995 |
177.4 |
|
1996 |
179.0 |
|
1997 |
159.0 |
|
|
|
|
1998 |
108.8 |
|
1999 |
90.8 |
|
2000 |
68.8 |
|
2001 |
79.7 |
|
2002 |
97.2 |
|
2003 |
89.3 |
|
2004 |
90.9 |
|
2005 |
91.9 |
|
2006 |
98.3 |
|
2007 |
114.7 |
|
2008 |
189.4 |
|
2009 |
300.9 |
|
2010 |
335.7 |
|
2011 |
340.1 |
|
2012 |
319.4 |
|
2013 |
276.3 |
|
2014 |
234.9 |
|
2015 |
206.5 |
|
2016 |
167.6 |
|
2017 |
145.0 |
|
2018 |
130.5 |
|
2019 |
111.6 |
|
2020 |
143.4 |
|
2021 |
130.1 |
|
2022 |
112.6 |
|
2023 |
117.7 |
|
2024 |
116.1 |
|
2025 |
128.2 |
Source: CSO, Labour Force Survey
Note: Estimates from 1986-1997 are annual estimates and are not directly comparable with the quarterly LFS estimates from 1998.
The Estimates from 1998 are taken from the Q4 LFS in the reference year.