Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Taoiseach the number of persons employed by multinational corporations; the number of persons employed by small and medium size enterprises; the number of persons employed in agriculture; the number of persons employed by Government Departments, State agencies or other public sector bodies; the number of persons employed in any other relevant headings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25019/12]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of estimates of employment in the State. In line with EU requirements the QNHS collects sector of employment data according to the standard EU classification (NACE Rev.2). The information you have requested cannot be specifically identified within this classification.

The most recent figures available are for Quarter 4 2011.

The results indicated that there were an estimated 80,400 people employed in the Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector.

Table 1 below shows the numbers employed in each economic sector for Quarter 4 2008 to Quarter 4 2011.

In relation to public sector employment Table 2 below shows estimates of public sector employment taken from the Earnings, Hours and Employment Costs Survey (EHECS). Data is broken down by the different high level areas within the public sector and the most recent figures available for Q4 2011 estimate that there were a total of 392,300 persons employed in the public sector.

It should be noted that Department of Public Expenditure and Reform estimates of public sector numbers differ in coverage as they are based on full time equivalents and also exclude commercial semi-state bodies.

The latest available data in relation to small and medium size enterprise employment was published in the Business in Ireland report and refers to 2009.The number of persons employed by small and medium size enterprises in selected NACE sectors is shown in Table 3. The total numbers of persons employed in small enterprises in 2009 was 655,800, and for medium enterprises the corresponding figure was 245,100.

Information on employment in foreign multinationals from the same report showed that the estimated numbers employed in multinationals in 2009 was 258,500.This figure covers the non-financial business economy (i.e NACE B to N excluding K).

Table 1 Persons aged 15 years and over in employment (ILO) classified by NACE Rev. 2 Economic Sector, Quarter 4 2008 to Quarter 4 2011

Reference period: Q4 = Oct-Dec

Source: Quarterly National Household Survey, Central Statistics Office.

Annex

Table A1 Employment by Nace sector and occupation

* Preliminary Estimates

Table A1 shows the estimated trend in the number of employees over time broken down by the different classifications used in this release. It should be noted that the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of estimates of employment. The figures presented above refer most closely to the number of employees as estimated by the QNHS but differ in coverage in certain ways, such as the fact that a person with 2 jobs could be counted twice in the table and the exclusion of the Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector which is covered by the QNHS. The estimates presented above are particularly useful in assessing the impact of employment changes on overall average earnings and hours paid. For example if the proportion of Managers, professionals and associated professionals increases over time this would, all other things being equal, increase average earnings levels as this occupational group has higher than average earnings.

Table 2

Table A2 - Public sector employment by sub-sector and quarter* ('000)

*Source: Earnings, Hours and Employment Costs Survey. Total public sector numbers are also published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on a quarterly basis. Those differ in coverage from the estimates in Table A2 as Department of Public Expenditure and Reform estimates are based on full-time equivalents which will change over time based on both changes in working hours and number of persons employed. The estimates in Table A2 represent the estimated total number of employees within the public sector. Department of Public Expenditure and Reform estimates also exclude commercial semi-state bodies so for comparability purposes a figure excluding semi-state bodies is included in Table A2. Differences in the level of the two sets of estimates primarily reflect part-time employment within the different sectors which would generally cause estimates on a full-time equivalent basis (i.e. those produced by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform) to be lower. Differences in trend could be caused by changes in the proportion of part-time staff within the public sector and/or other changes in average working hours.

The CSO will undertake further analysis to produce estimates on total hours worked for future releases to give a better insight into changes in overall labour input within the public sector.

Table 3

Number of active enterprises and persons engaged by sector and size class, 2009