The diagram demonstrates the unemployment rates in Ireland (in per cent) along with the number of individuals having departed from the country (by thousands) from 1988 till 2008.
Overall, it can be observed by examining the graph that the unemployment levels had declined dramatically over the two decades, while the amount of people leaving the country had seen a dramatic fall and returned to a significant growth by the end of that period.
In 1998, the unemployment in Ireland was at its highest during this period at approximately 16.5%, and fluctuated between 16.5 and 12.5% until 1994. However, beginning from that year, this indicator began a drastic decline, and plummeted down to approximately 2% in 2000. From 2000 to 2004, it plateaued at this level and started steadily growing up to 6% until 2008.
The number of individuals leaving the country stood at approximately 60 thousand people in 1988, but declined almost by half to nearly 35 thousand people by 1992. Then it bounced back to nearly 40 thousand people by 1994. Since that year, however, the number of people departing from Ireland showed a steady decrease which lasted until 2000 and amounted up to 25 thousand people that year. Starting from 2002, this indicator saw a slight growth up to approximately 28 thousand people, and, beginning from 2004 till 2008 is demonstrated a considerable rise which resulted in 50 thousand people leaving the country by the end of that period.