Band 9: Writing task 1 The graph below shows the unemployment levels in Ireland and the number of people leaving the country between 1988 and 2008. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The graph illustrates changes in the unemployment rate in Ireland and the number of people leaving the country between 1988 and 2008.

Overall, both unemployment and emigration declined significantly from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, before rising again slightly towards the end of the period. In general, the two figures followed similar trends, suggesting a close relationship between unemployment levels and emigration.

In 1988, Ireland experienced a high unemployment rate of around 17%, while approximately 60,000 people left the country. Over the next few years, unemployment fell to about 13% in 1990, then rose again to a peak of roughly 15% in 1992. During this period, emigration dropped sharply to around 35,000, before increasing slightly in the mid-1990s.

From 1994 onwards, both indicators declined steadily. Unemployment fell dramatically from about 14% in 1994 to just under 5% by 2000, which was the lowest point recorded. Similarly, the number of people leaving Ireland decreased to approximately 25,000 by 2002.

After 2002, both figures showed a gradual upward trend. By 2008, unemployment had risen modestly to around 6%, while emigration increased more noticeably to nearly 50,000 people.