Emigration has played a significant role in keeping unemployment down between 2008 and 2012, a think-tank has said. The Nevin Economic Research Institute (Neri) said if it was not for emigration, unemployment today might be only fractionally less than at its peak in 2012.
Neri pointed out that close to half-a-million people of all ages left the State between April 2008 and April 2014. An estimated 338,000 people came into the country over the same period, leaving net migration at 141,000.