Employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland
Ireland: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 77.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland is 77.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland peaked at 78.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 58.6%, in 1991.
That places Ireland 30th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 58.6% | — |
| 1992 | 59.1% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 59.7% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 59.6% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 60.2% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 61.4% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 60.5% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 62.2% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 63.1% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 63.6% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 64.0% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 65.3% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 65.8% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 66.0% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 66.3% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 66.7% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 71.4% | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 74.6% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 76.2% | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 76.8% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 77.2% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 77.0% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 77.3% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 76.6% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 76.2% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 76.4% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 76.8% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 76.7% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 76.1% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 76.8% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 78.1% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 77.6% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 77.9% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.5% | 58.6% | 63.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 67.2% | 63.6% | 74.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.7% | 76.1% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.2% | 76.1% | 78.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 27 France 78.3% compare
- 28 Switzerland 78.2% compare
- 29 Iceland 78.1% compare
- 31 Montenegro 77.6% compare
- 32 New Caledonia 77.6% compare
- 33 Spain 76.8% compare
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Ireland was 77.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 78.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.6% in 1991.
- How does Ireland rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Ireland ranks 30th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).