Vol. 462 No. 6
123 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the 1995 Labour Force Survey which shows 1,000 less jobs in agriculture as against the ESRI medium term review of April 1994, which showed an average loss of 3,000 jobs from the industry each year; the reason for the difference between both figures; and the projected employment figures in each of the years from 1996 to 2000 for agriculture. [5198/96]
The difference between the figures in the ESRI Medium Term Review and those in the CSO Labour Force Survey is due to the fact that the ESRI figures are projections, while the CSO figures reflect the actual outturn. The CSO figures for 1994 and 1995 are more up to date and, in its latest Quarterly Economic Commentary (February 1996), the ESRI has adjusted its figures to reflect the Labour Force Survey results.
The ESRI Medium Term Review (in April 1994) forecast a reduction of 3,000 in the numbers employed in agriculture, forestry and fisheries (classified by Principal Economic Status) between 1993 and 1994, and this reduction actually occurred. The ESRI also forecast a reduction of 4,000 between 1994 and 1995. However, the CSO preliminary estimate is that the reduction was only 1,000.
