Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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130. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the recent assessment she has made regarding the level of unemployment here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37112/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Official figures from the CSO show that unemployment is falling and is now approaching 11% compared to a peak of over 15% in mid 2012.

In fact, according to the most recent information available from the Live Register the standardised unemployment rate (SUR) in August 2014 was 11.2%, down from 11.3% in July 2014. This equates to a monthly decrease of 2,900 (-0.1%) in the number of persons that are signing on (on a seasonally adjusted basis) between July and August 2014, bringing the total number on the Live Register (on a seasonally adjusted basis) to 380,100.

The Government’s primary strategy to reduce unemployment has been through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth.

Despite the progress that has been made, the Government acknowledges that both youth unemployment and long-term unemployment remain unacceptably high. Hence, the Government also recognises the need for additional activation measures in the interim while the economy recovers. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy and the Youth Guarantee.

Pathways to Work includes a wide range of programmes and services to help jobseekers back to employment. These include programmes such as JobBridge, JobsPlus and Momentum introduced by this Government and schemes such as Community Employment and TÚS where we have significantly increased the number of places available.

The Statement of Government Priorities 2014 – 2016 commits to the continued roll-out of the Youth Guarantee. The Youth Guarantee offer of training, education or work experience for those aged 18-24 years after a four month period will be implemented on a phased basis. Its implementation will be facilitated by changes included in recent social welfare legislation.