Regional EU Sustainable Development Indicators for Ireland 2022

Sustainable economic growth

Real GDP per capita

SDG_08_10 is calculated as the ratio of real GDP to the average population of a specific year. GDP measures the value of total final output of goods and services produced by an economy within a certain period of time. It includes goods and services that have markets (or which could have markets) and products which are produced by general government and non-profit institutions. It is a measure of economic activity and is also used as a proxy for the development in a country’s material living standards. However, it is a limited measure of economic welfare. For example, neither does GDP include most unpaid household work nor does GDP take account of negative effects of economic activity, like environmental degradation. See Table 8.1 and Figure 8.1.

Investment share of GDP

SDG_08_11 shows the investment for the total economy, government, business as well as household sectors. The indicator gives the share of GDP that is used for gross investment (rather than being used for e.g. consumption or exports). It is defined as gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) expressed as a percentage of GDP for the government, business and households sectors. GFCF consists of resident producers' acquisitions, less disposals of fixed assets plus certain additions to the value of non-produced assets realised by productive activity, such as improvements to land. Fixed assets comprise, for example, dwellings, other buildings and structures (roads, bridges etc.), machinery and equipment, but also intangible assets such as computer software and other intellectual property. See Table 8.2 and Figure 8.2.

Employment

Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET)

SDG_08_20 measures the share of the population aged 15 to 29 years who are not employed and not involved in education or training. The numerator of the indicator refers to persons who meet the following two conditions: (a) they are not employed (i.e. unemployed or inactive according to the International Labour Organisation definition) and (b) they have not received any education or training (i.e. neither formal nor non-formal) in the four weeks preceding the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The denominator includes the total population aged 15 to 29 years (excluding those who did not answer the questions on 'participation in regular (formal) education and training'). See Table 8.3 and Figure 8.3.

Employment rate

SDG_08_30 measures the share of the population aged 20 to 64 years which are employed. Employed persons are defined as all persons who, during a reference week, worked at least one hour for pay or profit or were temporarily absent from such work. The indicator is part of the adjusted, break-corrected main indicators series and should not be compared with the annual and quarterly non-adjusted series, which have slightly different results. See Table 8.4 and Figure 8.4.

Long-term unemployment rate

SDG_08_40 measures the share of the economically active population aged 15 to 74 years who has been unemployed for 12 months or more. Unemployed persons are defined as all persons who were without work during the reference week, were currently available for work and were either actively seeking work in the last four weeks or had already found a job to start within the next three months. The unemployment period is defined as the duration of a job search, or as the length of time since the last job was held (if shorter than the time spent on a job search). The economically active population comprises employed and unemployed persons. The indicator is part of the adjusted, break-corrected main indicators series and should not be compared with the annual and quarterly non-adjusted series, which have slightly different results. See Table 8.5 and Figure 8.5.

Decent work

Fatal accidents at work

SDG_08_60 measures the number of fatal accidents that occur during the course of work and lead to the death of the victim within one year of the accident. The incidence rate refers to the number of fatal accidents per 100,000 persons in employment. An accident at work is 'a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'. This includes all accidents in the course of work, whether they happen inside or outside the premises of the employer, accidents in public places or different means of transport during a journey in the course of the work (commuting accidents are excluded) and at home (such as during teleworking). It also includes cases of acute poisoning and wilful acts of other persons if these happened during the course of the work. See Table 8.6 and Figure 8.6.