A third of employees work from home at least one day a week, new figures show

Watergrasshill in Cork had the highest proportion of commuters (82%) in the country using the car to drive to work among towns of at least 1,500 people. Picture: Larry Cummins

The number of retirees is rising at a faster rate than people are joining the workforce, while almost a third of employees work from home at least one day a week, new figures show.

The latest details from Census 2022, published on Tuesday by the Central Statistics Office, show 2.3 million people are in work, a rise of 16% compared to the previous census in 2016.

Nearly one in three people worked from home at least one day a week in April 2022https://t.co/YLtZpe3Hwm#CSOIreland #Ireland #Census #Census2022 #CensusIreland #Population pic.twitter.com/CfIo26I9cM

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) December 5, 2023

In total, 750,000 people are working remotely for at least some part of the week, and just over one in 12 people work from home five days a week.

However, while the number of workers has risen by 16%, the number of retirees has gone up by 21%, to 660,000 people. 

CSO statistician Dr Tracy Clegg said: “Census 2022 marked the first time there were more female retirees than male. 

"The number of people unemployed fell by 34% since 2016 to more than 176,000, however, the number of people seeking their first job grew by 10% to nearly 35,000.”

Regarding the different professions, the industrial group with the most workers is 'public administration' at nearly 107,000. 

The largest occupational group is sales and retail assistants, at almost 86,000 people, although this was a 5% fall since 2016.

Travelling to work

When it comes to travelling to work, 63% of the population travels by car, down from 66% in 2016. 

In the north and west, the proportion of those driving to work tended to be higher than in other parts of the country.

In general, more women walked to work than men, whereas almost three-quarters of those who cycled to work were men.

“Counties Galway (71%) and Roscommon (70%) had the highest proportion of people driving to work,” Dr Clegg said. 

“Dublin and Galway cities had the highest proportion of people who walked to work, at 18% and 16% respectively. Dublin City also had the highest proportion of commuters cycling to work (10%).” 

In Cork City and county, just 4.2% of workers use a bus or coach to get to work. 

This rose to 8.9% in Galway City and 15% of workers in Dublin City.

Watergrasshill in Cork had the highest proportion of commuters (82%) in the country using the car to drive to work among towns of at least 1,500 people. 

While, in Cork City and its suburbs, 13% of workers walk to work.

The census also reveals the car is the main form of transport for school children, while the most common form of travel for students in college is the bus.

Local Labour representative for Cork City South East Peter Horgan said the census evidence showed a monthly “climate ticket” of €9 would help take cars off the road.

“The introduction of a monthly climate ticket with unlimited travel could get people out of their cars and onto trains, buses, and trams, just like the trial carried out in Germany last year,” he said. 

“Tackling the transport trap in Ireland would be a welcome step in the right direction.”