Under European Business Statistics (EBS) Regulation 2019/2152, the Sectors covered in Structural Business Statistics and Business Demography are now common as part of an EU-wide initiative to improve data processing and enhance coherency across a range of enterprise statistical products. This release provides data on NACE sectors B to S (excluding O and S94).
Further releases under the ‘Business in Ireland’ title are planned providing additional data and insights into the composition and constitution of enterprises across the economy.
The Construction sector accounted for the largest number of active enterprises with 77,676 enterprises active in 2022, followed by the Professional, Scientific & Technical sector with 51,608 active enterprises. Of the 49,253 enterprises in the Distribution sector, more than half (24,834) were in the retail sector, while 14,543 were wholesalers and 9,876 were in the motor trade.
| Active Enterprises | |
| Manufacturing (C) | 18973 |
| Water supply etc (E) | 1120 |
| Construction (F) | 77676 |
| Motor trade (G45) | 9876 |
| Wholesale trade (G46) | 14543 |
| Retail trade (G47) | 24834 |
| Transportation & storage (H) | 25121 |
| Accommodation & food (I) | 20213 |
| Information & communication (J) | 19331 |
| Financial and insurance activities (K) | 17438 |
| Real estate (L) | 18295 |
| Professional, scientific etc (M) | 51608 |
| Administrative & support (N) | 20711 |
| Education (P) | 13064 |
| Human health and social work activities (Q) | 23462 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation (R) | 13710 |
| Other services (S excl. S94) | 18321 |
At a detailed sector level, the Distribution sector (G) accounted for the largest number of persons employed with 413,595 in 2022. Of the persons employed in Distributive trades, 250,743 were in the Retail trade, 122,837 were in Wholesale, while 40,015 were employed in the Motor trade. The Manufacturing sector accounted for the second largest number of persons employed with 264,220 in 2022, followed by the Accommodation & Food sector with 232,382 persons employed.
Although Construction accounted for the largest number of active enterprises by sector in 2022, it was only the fifth largest sector in terms of employment with a total of 198,109 persons employed.
| X-axis label | Persons Employed |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing (C) | 264220 |
| Water supply etc (E) | 10844 |
| Construction (F) | 198109 |
| Motor trade (G45) | 40015 |
| Wholesale trade (G46) | 122837 |
| Retail trade (G47) | 250743 |
| Transportation & storage (H) | 108242 |
| Accommodation & food (I) | 232382 |
| Information & communication (J) | 148253 |
| Financial and insurance activities (K) | 127965 |
| Real estate (L) | 38099 |
| Professional, scientific etc (M) | 209359 |
| Administrative & support (N) | 183138 |
| Education (P) | 67026 |
| Human health and social work activities (Q) | 186795 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation (R) | 42889 |
| Other services (S excl. S94) | 46241 |
In 2022, the Manufacturing sector generated the largest turnover in the Structural Business Economy amounting to €405.2 billion or more than €1.5 million per person employed in the sector. It also had the largest Gross Value Added (GVA), when measured at factor cost, amounting to €175.9 billion.
The Information & Communication sector provided the second largest contribution to turnover and GVA in Ireland at €305.6 billion turnover and €82.0 billion GVA. However, with less persons employed in the sector, the turnover per persons employed was higher than Manufacturing at almost €2.1 million.
| X-axis label | Turnover |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing (C) | 405157 |
| Water supply etc (E) | 2361 |
| Construction (F) | 45908 |
| Motor trade (G45) | 28189 |
| Wholesale trade (G46) | 125226 |
| Retail trade (G47) | 60375 |
| Transportation & storage (H) | 26509 |
| Accommodation & food (I) | 14620 |
| Information & communication (J) | 305554 |
| Financial and insurance activities (K) | 72580 |
| Real estate (L) | 7566 |
| Professional, scientific etc (M) | 87192 |
| Administrative & support (N) | 55244 |
| Human health and social work activities (Q) | 11725 |
| Other services (S excl. S94) | 4709 |
| X-axis label | GVA |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing (C) | 175917 |
| Water supply etc (E) | 1648 |
| Construction (F) | 12296 |
| Motor trade (G45) | 2347 |
| Wholesale trade (G46) | 18998 |
| Retail trade (G47) | 10177 |
| Transportation & storage (H) | 6631 |
| Accommodation & food (I) | 6833 |
| Information & communication (J) | 82010 |
| Financial and insurance activities (K) | 33143 |
| Real estate (L) | 2309 |
| Professional, scientific etc (M) | 26963 |
| Administrative & support (N) | 28554 |
| Education (P) | 2205 |
| Human health and social work activities (Q) | 7408 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation (R) | 3014 |
| Other services (S excl. S94) | 1268 |
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