The line graph illustrates the unemployment rate in Ireland alongside the number of people emigrating between 1998 and 2008.
Overall, both indicators experience a substantial decline during the first half of the period, stabilised at relatively low levels for several years, and then rose again towards the end. Notably, the trends for unemployment and emigration closely mirrored each other throughout the timeframe.
In 1998, Ireland recorded a high unemployment rate of approximately 17%, accompanied by an emigration figure of around 70000 people. Over the subsequent decade, both measures fell sharply. By 2000, unemployment had dropped dramatically to about 5%, while the number of people leaving the country had decreased to roughly 20000.
Between 2000 and 2004, both figures remained largely unchanged, indicating a period of economic stability. However, from 2004 onwards, this pattern reversed.
Unemployment edged up slightly to around 6% by 2008, whereas emigration rose far more significantly, reaching approximately 50000 citizens at the end of the period.