Ireland’s unemployment rate has been falling quarter on quarter since 2012 and fell below the EU average in 2015, the only ‘bailout’ member in which this has happened. As in the rest of the EU however, aggregate figures mask some considerable inequalities. The unemployment rate for under-25s has been more than double the headline figure both in Ireland and at an EU level since 2007.
Intergenerational differences are also seen in a range of other labour market indicators. 9.2% of employed 18-24 year olds are involuntarily underemployed, compared to 3.4% of 55-74 year olds. There are also stark differences in opportunities between regions and genders. 24.7% of men aged 18-24 in the Border, Midlands and West region were not in employment, education or training in 2016.
On a mass scale continuing trends such as these may have implications for political stability into the future.
