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Labour Market

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The statistics presented in this chapter show developments in the Irish labour market and are based primarily on results from the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS).  The latter part of the chapter contains mainly administrative data, compiled by the CSO, showing the trends in the number of persons on the Live Register as well as details of industrial disputes. 

3.1 Persons aged 15 years and over classified by sex and ILO economic status
        
'000
ILO economic status2009201020112012201320142015
Males  
In labour force1,265.61,223.51,206.91,193.41,195.21,192.01,196.5
     In employment:1,071.81,015.7992.8977.01,005.71,030.61,064.9
         full-time958.5894.4864.1839.8862.2885.2923.3
         part-time:113.3121.3128.7137.2143.5145.4141.6
         of which: part-time, not underemployed65.469.969.268.378.586.886.6
                        part-time, underemployed47.951.459.568.965.058.655.0
     Unemployed:193.8207.8214.1216.4189.6161.3131.6
         seeking full-time work/future job-starter177.4192.1196.8198.2174.2146.7123.7
         seeking part-time work6.04.65.56.57.46.6[3.2]
         seeking work as self-employed10.411.011.711.88.08.04.7
Not in labour force513.8548.5564.2567.9564.7569.7566.6
     Potential additional labour force28.334.436.331.335.828.622.0
     Others485.5514.1527.9536.6528.9541.1544.6
Total males aged 15 or over1,779.41,771.91,771.01,761.31,759.51,761.71,763.1
Unemployment rate % (persons aged 15-74)15.417.117.818.215.913.611.1
Participation rate %71.169.068.167.867.967.767.9
        
Females       
In labour force983.3975.3971.8965.7975.4964.1973.5
     In employment:902.2877.9868.5859.2864.3870.9893.8
         full-time598.6576.9559.7556.4555.6566.1584.8
         part-time:303.6301.1308.8302.8308.6304.8309.0
         of which: part-time, not underemployed238.7238.2231.2215.0224.3233.7244.3
                        part-time, underemployed64.962.977.687.884.371.164.6
     Unemployed:81.197.3103.3106.6111.293.279.7
         seeking full-time work/future job-starter65.577.680.682.082.871.961.1
         seeking part-time work14.518.020.922.226.920.217.3
         seeking work as self-employed*******
Not in labour force837.5851.1856.2864.0850.9868.1870.5
     Potential additional labour force16.416.822.226.624.223.217.5
     Others821.1834.3834.1837.4826.7844.9853.0
Total females aged 15 or over1,820.81,826.31,828.11,829.71,826.31,832.21,844.0
Unemployment rate % (persons aged 15-74)8.310.010.611.111.49.78.2
Participation rate %54.053.453.252.853.452.652.8
        
All persons       
In labour force2,248.92,198.72,178.72,159.12,170.72,156.12,169.9
     In employment:1,974.01,893.61,861.31,836.21,869.91,901.61,958.7
         full-time1,557.11,471.31,423.81,396.21,417.81,451.31,508.1
         part-time:416.9422.4437.5440.0452.1450.3450.6
         of which: part-time, not underemployed304.1308.1300.4283.4302.8320.6331.0
                        part-time, underemployed112.8114.2137.1156.6149.4129.7119.6
     Unemployed:275.0305.1317.4323.0300.7254.5211.2
         seeking full-time work/future job-starter242.9269.7277.4280.1257.0218.6184.7
         seeking part-time work20.522.626.528.734.226.820.4
         seeking work as self-employed11.612.813.514.19.59.16.1
Not in labour force1,351.31,399.51,420.41,431.91,415.61,437.71,437.2
     Potential additional labour force44.651.258.457.960.051.839.5
     Others1,306.61,348.31,362.01,374.01,355.61,386.01,397.6
TOTAL PERSONS AGED 15 YEARS AND OVER3,600.23,598.23,599.13,591.03,586.33,593.93,607.1
Unemployment rate % (persons aged 15-74)12.313.914.615.013.911.99.8
Participation rate %62.561.160.560.160.560.060.2
        
Employment rate % (persons aged 15-64)       
Male 66.863.962.862.464.666.368.7
Female 57.656.055.655.255.956.457.6
All persons62.260.059.258.860.261.363.1
Source: CSO
* Estimates for numbers of persons or averages where there are less than 30 persons in a cell are not produced as estimates are too small to be considered reliable.
Parentheses [ ] indicate where there are 30-49 persons in a cell, estimates are considered to have a wider margin of error and should be treated with caution.
Reference period: q2=April-June.

Interactive table: StatBank link

The total number of persons in the labour force in 2015 was 2,169,900, an annual increase of 13,800. The number of persons in employment decreased from 1,974,000 in 2009 to 1,958,700 in 2015.

The overall unemployment rate decreased from 12.3% in 2009 to 11.9% in 2014 and stood at 9.8% in 2015. The number of persons unemployed in 2009 was 275,000 compared with 254,500 in 2014 and 211,200 in 2015. The number of person’s unemployed decreased by 17.0% between 2014 and 2015.

 

3.2 Industrial disputes: days lost in all disputes in progress during year
          
Number
Economic Sector (NACE Rev.2 )201320142015
 
AAgriculture, forestry and fishing---
B-EIndustry1,04714,696-
FConstruction-1,004466
GWholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles1,939-2,678
HTransportation and storage 9,8153,9175,714
IAccommodation and food service activities---
JInformation and communication---
K-LFinancial, insurance and real estate activities19--
MProfessional, scientific and technical activities--89
NAdministrative and support service activities--57
OPublic administration and defence; compulsory social security-600-
PEducation-23,77023,960
QHuman health and social work activities2,145--
R-UOther NACE activities -28-
         
Total      14,96544,01532,964
Source: CSO

Interactive table: StatBank link

During 2015 there were 32,964 days lost due to industrial disputes. This compares with 44,015 days lost in 2014 and 14,965 days lost in 2013. There were a total of nine industrial disputes in 2015 compared with eleven in 2014. The nine disputes in progress in 2015 involved 37,760 workers and nine firms.

 

3.3 Annual average number of persons on the Live Register in each Regional Authority
             
Number
Regions   200720082009201020112012201320142015
Males
Border, Midland & Western 
Border  13,92321,14537,67841,05140,58739,09636,83233,12929,027
Midland  6,69310,97219,79221,66121,73321,33120,56618,61616,363
West  9,28013,91724,79526,57925,97924,55523,26820,77118,172
           
Southern & Eastern         
Dublin  26,03535,54263,94370,04369,90468,64665,05758,68850,969
Mid-East  7,84212,82424,92827,58027,46126,51925,00022,23719,403
Mid-West  8,47512,75223,54225,74925,03723,77322,02819,43716,840
South-East  12,47819,73834,25137,76137,63036,66334,58031,15027,528
South-West13,41219,86136,39540,31439,64238,03934,76630,55426,718
Total  98,138146,750265,325290,737287,972278,623262,096234,582205,021
    
Females    
Border, Midland & Western  
Border  9,54811,76918,63921,17422,39422,58422,38521,51320,117
Midland  4,8976,0889,76711,08511,86112,35212,68412,36311,607
West  6,4957,98112,74814,27214,95214,99015,03614,05612,967
           
Southern & Eastern         
Dublin  14,36117,75531,40835,41635,95636,05435,99834,33131,650
Mid-East  5,5167,26412,95014,88115,53615,47215,76515,20214,255
Mid-West  5,7397,25112,10213,85314,14613,97813,48412,64611,611
South-East  8,67410,72516,73319,16820,22520,60220,49519,49318,311
South-West8,94011,15318,48721,10421,86221,60021,00719,59218,018
Total64,17179,985132,834150,953156,932157,631156,854149,197138,536
   
All persons   
Border, Midland & Western   
Border23,47132,91456,31762,22562,98061,68059,21754,64249,144
Midland11,59017,05929,56032,74633,59433,68333,25030,97927,970
West15,77521,89837,54340,85140,93239,54538,30434,82731,139
         
Southern & Eastern         
Dublin40,39753,29695,351105,458105,860104,700101,05593,01982,619
Mid-East13,30320,08837,87842,46042,99741,99140,76537,43933,658
Mid-West14,21420,00235,64439,60239,18337,75135,51232,08328,451
South-East21,15230,46350,98456,92957,85557,26655,07550,64345,839
South-West22,35231,01454,88261,41861,50559,63955,77350,14644,736
TOTAL   162,309226,735398,159441,689444,905436,254418,950383,779343,556
Source: CSO

Interactive table: StatBank link

The average number of persons on the Live Register decreased from 383,779 in 2014 to 343,556 in 2015. The average number of males on the Live Register stood at 205,021 in 2015, with the average number of females at 138,536.

This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.

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