Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland
Ireland: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 9.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland is 9.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 24.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland peaked at 21.0% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 2025.
That places Ireland 151st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 20.7% | — |
| 1992 | 21.0% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 20.4% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 19.6% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 19.0% | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 17.8% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 17.6% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 17.0% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 16.0% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 15.7% | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 14.9% | -5.1% |
| 2002 | 14.5% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 14.2% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 13.7% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 12.8% | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 12.8% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 13.2% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 13.8% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 13.7% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 13.3% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 13.4% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 13.5% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 12.7% | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 12.4% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 11.5% | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 11.0% | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 10.8% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 10.5% | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 10.2% | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 10.3% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 9.7% | -5.9% |
| 2025 | 9.6% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.8% | 16.0% | 21.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.0% | 12.8% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.5% | 10.4% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.2% | 9.6% | 10.8% | 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 vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Ireland was 9.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.0% in 1992.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 2025.
- How does Ireland rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- Ireland ranks 151st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.