Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the net number of jobs currently being created on a weekly basis; the number lost on a weekly basis over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20219/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of people in employment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey or QNHS and published by the Central Statistics Office on a quarterly basis only. In the fourth quarter of 2008, the most recent quarter for which data is available, there was an annual decrease in employment of 86,900 or 4.1% while unemployment increased by 69,600 over the same period.

Employment data in respect of companies supported by the Enterprise Agencies (Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development) is collated by Forfás on an annual basis only, and accordingly monthly or weekly figures cannot be supplied. In 2008 a total of 19,935 full-time jobs were created in Enterprise Agencies, 29,037 full-time jobs were lost in the same year – a net loss for 2008 of 9,102.

There is no exact measure of the number of jobs lost, however, the Department records the number of redundancies notified to them on a monthly basis. The following table sets out the number of redundancy notifications received in 2008 and to end April, 2009, the most recent date for which figures are available.

Actual Redundancies 2008 - 2009 broken down by month

The rise in unemployment is particularly unwelcome and is a sign of the difficult times that all economies are facing. The Government is determined to do all in its power to tackle the rising number of people who have lost their jobs and is also working to significantly improve access for unemployed persons to job search, training and education, and employment programmes. My Department, and its agencies are continuing to work together to respond quickly and effectively to the rise in the number of people out of work.

Questions Nos. 138 to 140, inclusive, answered with Question No. 114.

Question No. 141 answered with Question No. 84.