It is important to view current participation levels in community employment schemes in a general labour market context. In this respect it is useful to consider the second quarter results for 2002 of the CSO's quarterly national household survey. They show that there are currently 21,600 long-term unemployed persons – a reduction of 51,000 or 70%, in the period since the Government decision to restructure community employment. The unemployment rate is currently 4.2%, representing a marginal increase on 2001. The long-term unemployment rate is 1.2%. Total employment has increased by 230,000 in the period since 1998; employment now stands at 1,749,900, an increase of 33,400 since the second quarter of 2001.