Industry has been the main driver of employment growth in Clare over the past five years.
An analysis of the county’s labour force based on the census, which has been carried out by the Western Development Commission, has found that Industry, Wholesale and Retail, and Health and Social Work are the top three employers here.
Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:
Clare’s labour force, which is made up of both those working and looking for work has grown by less than 1% over the past five years to over 56,500 – 60% of the county’s adult population.
The number of people working in industry has risen by 10% over the past five years, with Industry, Wholesale and Retail, and Health and Social Work , the top three sectors for employment, accounting for more than a third of all jobs.
A growth in tourism has been reflected in the Accommodation and Food Service Sector, which is up 13.5%, the second highest in the country, while the number of people working in transport and storage has risen by 10%.
Employment in Agriculture has dropped by almost 9%, which is much higher than elsewhere in the country, administrative and other services are the highest in the region and a drop in the financial services sector is linked with the closure of financial institutions.
One in five people travel outside the county for work, while the share of self-employed in Clare is much higher than the national average.
