Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland
Ireland: Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by was 1,179 Thousand persons in 2026. ▲ Rising
Latest (2026)
1,179 Thousand persons
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
26th
of 45 countries
All-time high
1,240 Thousand persons
in 2020
All-time low
987 Thousand persons
in 2007
Years of data
29
1998–2026
Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland, 1998–2026
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.
Analysis
In 2026, persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland stood at 1,179 Thousand persons.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland peaked at 1,240 Thousand persons in 2020 and was at its lowest, 987 Thousand persons, in 2007.
Ireland ranks 26th of 45 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Thousand persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,059 Thousand persons | — |
| 1999 | 1,025 Thousand persons | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 1,033 Thousand persons | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 1,040 Thousand persons | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 1,066 Thousand persons | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 1,067 Thousand persons | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 1,065 Thousand persons | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 1,053 Thousand persons | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 1,052 Thousand persons | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 987 Thousand persons | -6.2% |
| 2008 | 1,038 Thousand persons | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 1,104 Thousand persons | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 1,136 Thousand persons | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 1,136 Thousand persons | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1,155 Thousand persons | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 1,133 Thousand persons | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 1,150 Thousand persons | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 1,157 Thousand persons | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 1,163 Thousand persons | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 1,167 Thousand persons | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 1,184 Thousand persons | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 1,173 Thousand persons | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 1,240 Thousand persons | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 1,100 Thousand persons | -11.2% |
| 2022 | 1,151 Thousand persons | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 1,136 Thousand persons | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 1,145 Thousand persons | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 1,145 Thousand persons | -0.1% |
| 2026 | 1,179 Thousand persons | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,042 Thousand persons | 1,025 Thousand persons | 1,059 Thousand persons | 2 |
| 2000s | 1,050 Thousand persons | 987 Thousand persons | 1,104 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,156 Thousand persons | 1,133 Thousand persons | 1,184 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,157 Thousand persons | 1,100 Thousand persons | 1,240 Thousand persons | 7 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
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 persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland?
- Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Ireland was 1,179 Thousand persons in 2026, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 1,240 Thousand persons in 2020.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 987 Thousand persons in 2007.
- How does Ireland rank for persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by?
- Ireland ranks 26th out of 45 countries with data for 2026.
- Is persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by willingness to work - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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