The number of people in employment in Ireland is 2,255,000, according to the latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This number represents a 74,100 or 3.4 percent increase on employment rates at the same time in November last year.

Of the 2,225,00 employed, 1,798,700, an increase of 73,000 since the same time in 2017, were registered in full-time employment, amounting to 79.8 percent of the employed population. Part-time employment increased by 1,100 to 456,300 – 20.2 percent of those in jobs.

As the above graph shows, there has been a positive growth of 377,000 people in employment between the second quarter of 2012 and the second quarter of 2018, with the most significant growth coming after 2015.

In terms of employment status, the total number of persons classified as self-employed increased by 24,700, or 8.1 percent, to 330,200 between Quarter Two of 2012 and the same period in 2018. The number of employees increased by 22.9 percent from 1,556,200 to 1,913,100 over the same period. This information is represented on the graph below.

Of these employees, the most notable increases were in the accommodation and food services activities sector, where there was a 52,000, or 48.4 percent increase, as well as the construction sector, where a 45,400 increase made for an 89.5 percent growth on the previous year.

The greater increases in self-employed were recorded in the managers, directors and senior officials and skilled trades groups with increases of 18,100 and 5,800 respectively.

The average usual hours worked per week in Quarter Two of 2018 was 36.5 hours compared to 35.2 hours six years earlier. Of all the economic sectors, the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector had the highest average at 50.4 hours per week in the second quarter of 2018 with the education sector having the lowest at 30.1 hours per week, an average of 6 hours per day, as the majority of those in employment in this field are working five days per week.

Overall, 77.6 percent of those in employment had been in their job for one year more year when the information was gathered, which is a decrease of 7.2 percent since 2012.

As well as this, people who gave the reason for currently working in part-time employment as they could not find a full-time job was 16.7 percent (76,400 persons).

The full list of previous employment is available on the table below.

SOURCE: CSO.IE