asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of full-time farmers at the latest date for which figures are available; the numbers five years ago; and the projected figures for five years from now.
Written Answers. - Full Time Farmers.
39.
The latest figure for the number of full time farmers published by the Central Statistics Office is contained in the 1985 Labour Force Survey which estimated it at 119,000 compared to 133,500 in 1983 and 158,600 in 1979. No official projection has been made of the number of farmers in 1992.