Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Ireland
Ireland: Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private was 28.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
28.1%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
34th
of 45 countries
All-time high
44.5%
in 1992
All-time low
28.1%
in 2025
Years of data
43
1983–2025
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Ireland, 1983–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
The most recent figure for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Ireland is 28.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Ireland peaked at 44.5% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 28.1%, in 2025.
Ireland ranks 34th of 45 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 42.5% | — |
| 1984 | 43.4% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 43.9% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 44.0% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 43.6% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 44.0% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 44.4% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 44.1% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 43.8% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 44.5% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 43.7% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 43.0% | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 43.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 42.2% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 41.6% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 40.0% | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 38.4% | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 37.3% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 36.7% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 36.6% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 36.2% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 34.2% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 33.0% | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | -10.9% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 32.0% | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 33.5% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 34.0% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 34.3% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 33.8% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 34.0% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 33.4% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 33.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 33.2% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 32.9% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 34.2% | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 31.6% | -7.6% |
| 2022 | 29.8% | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 29.0% | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 28.6% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 28.1% | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 43.7% | 42.5% | 44.4% | 7 |
| 1990s | 42.4% | 38.4% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.3% | 29.4% | 37.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.6% | 32.9% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.2% | 28.1% | 34.2% | 6 |
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 - % of total population in private in Ireland?
- Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Ireland was 28.1% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 44.5% in 1992.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.1% in 2025.
- How does Ireland rank for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private?
- Ireland ranks 34th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
- Is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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