John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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124. To ask the Taoiseach the reason for the discrepancy in unemployment figures in view of the fact that the census gave an unemployment rate of 12.7% yet unemployment figures represent 8%. [29452/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of employment and unemployment statistics for the State. In Q2 2016, the unemployment rate as measured by the QNHS was 8.6%.

The Census of Population 2016 Summary Results - Part 2, published on 15 June 2017 (based on Census night 24th April 2016) provided an alternative measure of unemployment levels and indicated an unemployment rate of 12.7%.

The main difference in the unemployment rate between the two sources arises as the classifications used in the measurement of unemployment differs for both.

- In the QNHS, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) classification is used and defines employment, unemployment and the inactive population. Unemployment is defined as persons who, in the week before the survey, were without work and available for work within the next two weeks, and had taken specific steps, in the preceding four weeks, to find work.

- The Census uses the Principal Economic Status (PES) classification to establish the labour force situation of the respondent. The PES classification is based on how respondents would describe their present principal status including a status of being unemployed.

In addition, differences can arise because:

- The QNHS results are based on a survey of a sample of the population while the Census results are based on an enumeration of the entire population

- The Census form is completed by a responsible adult in each household throughout the State in respect of everyone present in the household on Census Night, while the QNHS is by face to face interview

Notwithstanding these differences, the main strength of the census-based data on employment and unemployment is the provision of data for small geographic areas, analysis on the comparisons between areas, the provision of data on unemployment blackspots, and other analysis across multiple variables such as marital status, detailed nationality, etc.