Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 89: To ask the Taoiseach the percentage of persons under 25 years that are unemployed, as per the most recent quarterly national household survey, that previously worked in construction; the percentage of persons under 25 years that are on the live register who previously worked in construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8209/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The most recently published estimates from the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) are in respect of Quarter 3 of 2009. The number of unemployed persons under the age of 25 was 74,400 representing an unemployment rate of 26.3% for that age group. Of those who did indicate their previous sector of employment, 33% of unemployed persons aged under 25 reported their most recent employment to have been in the construction sector.

With regard to the Live Register, the Department of Social and Family Affairs captures details of the latest occupation of a person who claims a jobseeker's payment. The recorded occupations are grouped into broad classes and while these do not precisely match standard classifications of sector of employment as used in the case of the QNHS, they provide a reasonable indication of the numbers coming from a particular sector. Based on these broad classifications, 28% of the 85,910 people aged under 25 on the live register at the end of January 2010 reported that their most recent employment was in a construction related occupation.

It should be noted that in the case of both the QNHS and the Live Register the information on previous employment is only collected for the most recent employment and not all previous employments.