Numbers ‘signing on’ Live Register in Cavan at lowest level since 2007

The number of people signing on in Cavan is at its lowest point in almost 14 years but there’s a warning that young people in particular are struggling to find employment.

The latest data release from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows September’s figure is a third of the peak figure.

A total of 2,774 people were recorded on the live register across County Cavan in September - 2,231 of these were signing-on in Cavan Town, with 543 in Ballyconnell.

Last month’s figure was the lowest recorded locally since 2007.

Some 2,628 people were on the live register in December of that year, only months before the economic crash.

It saw a dramatic increase in the numbers signing on across the country, which was understandably mirrored across Cavan.

The numbers hit their peak locally at 7,988 in July 2010, with a slow fall since.

The live register measures the number of people in an area receiving Jobseekers’ Benefit or Jobseekers’ Allowance. It includes people working up to three days a week who are entitled to claim the payments.

Social Protection Minister and Cavan-Monaghan TD Heather Humphreys expressed her delight to see the number of people on the Live Register in Cavan at its lowest level since December 2007.

“This is a significant milestone for the county. With the number of people now receiving the PUP also at its lowest level since the pandemic began, this clearly demonstrates the significant progress we are making in getting people back into the workforce,” she said in a statement to The Anglo-Celt.

Difficulties for young people - SVdP

However, locally it seems people and particularly young people are still finding it difficult to find employment.

“In a way the economy has not picked up like people think. Therefore there’s a lot of unemployment still, where young people are not getting opportunities. They’ve done their years in college and there’s no opportunities for them now,” said Madeline Uí Mhealóid of Saint Vincent de Paul in Cavan.

She says the lack of steady employment and difficulties finding work is impacting on people: “Some restaurants and that are only open at weekends. There’s really a lot of unemployment and I can see it demoralising the young people.”