According to the Irish Central Statistics Office demographic factors, such as the increase in the population of working age and changes in its age structure, added an estimated 63,000 to the labour force over the year. Net inward migration is estimated to have accounted for almost 75 per cent of this demographic increase. The demographic factor was particularly evident in the case of the 25-34 age group – the age group most affected by net inward migration – where a rise in the labour force of over 31,000 was recorded in the year.
Increased labour force participation accounted for the balance of 17,400 in the annual labour force growth. All age groups with the exception of those aged 25-34, which remained static, recorded increases in participation rates, while female participation rates in particular continued to rise sharply.
In the first quarter of 2007 foreign nationals accounted for almost 30 per cent of workers in the Irish hotels and restaurants sector, 13.5 per cent of Construction workers and 13.4 per cent of those employed in the Other Production Industries Sector.
There was an increase of 11,500 in the number of foreign workers in the Construction Sector, the largest increase across all sectors, while strong growth was also recorded in the Other Production industries (plus 9,600), Hotels and Restaurants (plus 9,100) and Wholesale and Retail Trade (plus 7,000) sectors.