Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 Mar 1960

Vol. 179 No. 7

Written Answers. - Distribution of Employment in Agriculture.

76.

Mr. Desmond

asked the Taoiseach if he will give average details of the distribution of employment in agriculture, as revealed in the National Farm Survey for (a) 1956-57 and (b) 1957-58 in respect of each of the six groups of farms, in the form of man-weeks of male labour units in respect of (1) total labour, (2) family labour and (3) hired labour; and if he will give similar details in respect of the east and midland areas.

The Taoiseach

The particulars of the average man weeks per farm derived from the records of all the farms included in the National Farm Survey in either of the Survey Years 1956/57 or 1957/58, are given in the following tables:—

(a) All Farms in 1956/57 Farm Survey.

	East and Midland Region	All Regions Combined
Size Group	No. of Farms	Total Labour (Family and Hired)	Family Labour	Hired Labour	No. of Farms	Total Labour (Family and Hired)	Family Labour	Hired Labour
	Man Weeks
5- 15 acres	47	49	48	1	163	54	53	1
15- 30 ,,	141	75	71	4	390	75	72	3
30- 50 ,,	153	88	80	8	429	88	79	8
50- 100 ,,	168	110	89	21	463	111	90	21
100- 200 ,,	105	147	90	58	260	144	90	53
Over 200 ,,	65	252	87	164	126	209	89	120

(b) All Farms in 1957/58 Farm Survey.

	East and Midland Region	All Regions Combined
Size Group	No. of Farms	Total Labour (Family and Hired)	Family Labour	Hired Labour	No. of Farms	Total Labour (Family and Hired)	Family Labour	Hired Labour
	Man Weeks
5- 15 acres	46	46	44	1	161	52	51	1
15- 30 ,,	136	74	71	3	410	73	71	3
30- 50 ,,	152	87	76	10	462	87	79	8
50- 100 ,,	158	108	86	21	469	107	86	21
100- 200 ,,	105	144	89	54	286	140	90	50
Over 200 ,,	65	252	80	172	133	208	87	121

A "man week" is defined as an adult male working for one week; juvenile and female labour has been converted to man weeks on the basis explained in the Interim Report.