Number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland

Ireland: Number of strikes and lockouts was 5 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
5
Change on year
down 37.5%
World rank
55th
of 99 countries
All-time high
133
in 1971
All-time low
5
in 2012
Years of data
38
1971–2024

Number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland, 1971–2024

0501001501971199720241971: 1331986: 1021987: 801988: 651989: 381990: 491991: 541992: 381993: 461994: 281995: 341996: 321997: 281998: 341999: 322000: 392001: 262002: 272003: 242004: 112005: 152006: 102007: 62008: 122009: 232010: 142011: 82012: 52013: 122014: 112015: 92016: 102017: 102018: 102019: 92022: 72023: 82024: 5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 5 for number of strikes and lockouts in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 38 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 37.5% on the previous year and down 54.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland peaked at 133 in 1971 and was at its lowest, 5, in 2012.

Ireland ranks 55th of 99 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland, 1971 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1971 133
1986 102 -23.3%
1987 80 -21.6%
1988 65 -18.8%
1989 38 -41.5%
1990 49 +28.9%
1991 54 +10.2%
1992 38 -29.6%
1993 46 +21.1%
1994 28 -39.1%
1995 34 +21.4%
1996 32 -5.9%
1997 28 -12.5%
1998 34 +21.4%
1999 32 -5.9%
2000 39 +21.9%
2001 26 -33.3%
2002 27 +3.8%
2003 24 -11.1%
2004 11 -54.2%
2005 15 +36.4%
2006 10 -33.3%
2007 6 -40.0%
2008 12 +100.0%
2009 23 +91.7%
2010 14 -39.1%
2011 8 -42.9%
2012 5 -37.5%
2013 12 +140.0%
2014 11 -8.3%
2015 9 -18.2%
2016 10 +11.1%
2017 10 +0.0%
2018 10 +0.0%
2019 9 -10.0%
2022 7 -22.2%
2023 8 +14.3%
2024 5 -37.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 133 133 133 1
1980s 71.25 38 102 4
1990s 37.5 28 54 10
2000s 19.3 6 39 10
2010s 9.8 5 14 10
2020s 6.67 5 8 3

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 52 Mexico 7 compare
  2. 53 Myanmar 6 compare
  3. 53 Sweden 6 compare
  4. 55 Burkina Faso 5 compare
  5. 55 Switzerland 5 compare
  6. 55 Hong Kong, China 5 compare
  7. 55 Hungary 5 compare
  8. 55 Eswatini 5 compare

See the full ranking of 99 places →

More work & labour data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland?
Number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland was 5 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 133 in 1971.
What is the lowest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 5 in 2012.
How does Ireland rank for number of strikes and lockouts?
Ireland ranks 55th out of 99 countries with data for 2024.
Is number of strikes and lockouts rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 54.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Number of strikes and lockouts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of strikes and lockouts in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-strikes-and-lockouts/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of strikes and lockouts
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
99 places, 2,354 data points, 1969–2024
Last refreshed

A strike is a temporary work stoppage carried out by one or more groups of workers with a view to enforcing or resisting demands or expressing grievances, or supporting other workers in their demands or grievances. A lockout is a total or partial temporary closure of one or more places of employment, or the hindering of the normal work activities of employees, by one or more employers with a view to enforcing or resisting demands or expressing grievances, or supporting other employers in their demands or grievances. Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.