Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Ireland
Ireland: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 71.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Ireland recorded 71.2% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Ireland peaked at 90.7% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 67.4%, in 2020.
Ireland ranks 92nd of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 90.7% | — |
| 1966 | 84.0% | -7.4% |
| 1971 | 82.0% | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 78.6% | -4.1% |
| 1977 | 76.8% | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 76.4% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 75.7% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 74.7% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 73.5% | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 73.2% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 72.5% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 72.2% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 71.1% | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 70.7% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 70.6% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 68.7% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 68.4% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 68.8% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 68.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 68.5% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 68.5% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 69.4% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 70.4% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 71.2% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 71.1% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 70.7% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 70.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 71.0% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 71.8% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 73.0% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 76.4% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 75.2% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 72.3% | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 70.2% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 69.2% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 68.9% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 68.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 69.1% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 69.0% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 68.5% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 68.5% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 68.7% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 69.6% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 70.2% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 72.7% | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 70.9% | -2.5% |
| 2025 | 71.2% | +0.4% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 71.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 69.5%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 71.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68.2%, 1.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 87.4% | 84.0% | 90.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 79.1% | 76.8% | 82.0% | 3 |
| 1980s | 73.7% | 71.1% | 76.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 69.2% | 68.4% | 70.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.3% | 70.6% | 76.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.0% | 68.5% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.3% | 67.4% | 72.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 89 Zimbabwe 71.5% compare
- 90 Türkiye 71.3% compare
- 91 Fiji 71.3% compare
- 92 Syrian Arab Republic 71.2% compare
- 94 Kyrgyzstan 71.2% compare
- 95 Philippines 71.0% 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 labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Ireland?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Ireland was 71.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 90.7% in 1961.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.4% in 2020.
- How does Ireland rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Ireland ranks 92nd out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.