Labour force up 6% since 2006, census shows

New results from last year’s census show the labour force has increased by almost 6% since 2006.

The latest figures show that there were 2,232,203 in the labour force in Apr 2011 — an increase of 122,705 over the previous five years, with females accounting for the overwhelming majority of the increase.

Over the same period, the number of retired people grew by 21% to 457,394, an increase of almost 80,000, while the student population increased almost 17% to just under 409,000.

The number of females classified as homemakers fell by 13% to 48,422, while there were 18,040 men categorised as looking after the home or family.

According to the census figures, the overall unemployment rate stood at 10%, with 424,843 persons out of work. However, the CSO stressed that the method of calculating the figure differs from its Quarterly National Household Survey which provides the “official” unemployment rate.

Limerick has the highest unemployment rate of any county at 28.6%, while Dublin had the lowest at 17.1%. Cork City had a 22.2% jobless rate.

Offaly recorded the biggest increase in the unemployment rate since 2006, rising from 8.5% to 23.2% in Apr 2011. Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown had the lowest rate of increase, going from 5.4% to 11.2%.

There were 122,682 fewer people at work in Apr 2011 compared to when the previous census was held in 2006 — a decrease of 6.4%.

In contrast, the number of people unemployed, including those looking for a first job, jumped by 137% — up from 179,456 to 424,843 over the five-year period.

Fingal had the highest labour force participation rate in Ireland with 68.4%, while Cork City had the lowest rate, at 54.4%.

The CSO identified 81 electoral divisions in the Republic as unemployment blackspots where the jobless rate exceeded 35%. Over half of these were in parts of the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford.

Limerick accounted for 18 of the total and the city also has seven of the top 10 unemployment blackspots in the country including the two highest — John’s A, which had an unemployment rate of 56.8%, and Galvone B (55.2%).

Dublin’s worst unemployment blackspot was Ballymun B, with 44% of its adult population out of work, while in Cork it is Knocknaheeny at 43.3%.

Donegal has the most un-employment blackspots outside the main urban centres, with an average jobless rate of 38.4% in nine electoral divisions.

A total of 595,335 people or 13% of the population have a disability.

The new census figures show that almost 80% of jobs in Ireland are in the services sector. The census held 50 years ago showed the sector accounted for just 40% of the total.

Agriculture accounts for just over 5% of all employment compared to over 50% in 1926.

Almost 17% of those at work are self-employed.

Meanwhile, the number of non-nationals in employment rose by almost 10% to 268,180 compared to a 8.4% decrease in the number of Irish nationals with jobs — a figure equivalent to 136,642

Non-nationals feature strongly in specific sectors of the economy, including hotel and restaurants, where they account for 38% of all staff.

The census figures reveal that the unemployment rate among people with at most a primary education is 33% compared to just 7.8% for those with a third-level degree or higher.

For the first time, driving a car was the most popular mode of transport for students commuting, with 28% going to college in their own vehicle. More than 53,000 students drive to college compared to almost 52,000 who walk and 40,400 who take a bus.

In general, 82.4% of all households own a car, with the highest rate of car ownership in Meath (90%) and the lowest in Dublin city (61.8%).

A new question on general health revealed that 87% of 10- to 14-year-olds perceived their health as very good, falling to 60% for those aged 40-44, while only one-third of people aged over 65 years classified their health as very good.