Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2004
161 Mr. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the number of full-time farmers in the country at the present time; the extent to which this number has increased or decreased in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5339/04]
View answerThe relevant figures, giving a breakdown of the number of full-time and part-time farmers, are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Full Time (000) |
Part Time (000) |
Total (000) |
|
1991 |
124.7 |
45.2 |
169.9 |
|
1993 |
106.0 |
52.9 |
158.9 |
|
1995 |
101.2 |
51.8 |
153.0 |
|
1997 |
98.3 |
49.3 |
147.6 |
|
1999 |
87.5 |
56.2 |
143.7 |
|
2000 |
78.7 |
62.6 |
141.3 |
|
2001 |
80.7 |
58.7 |
139.4 |
|
2002 |
78.8 |
57.5 |
136.3 |
In this context, full-time means holders who stated that their sole occupation is farming — those who answered that farming was either a major or subsidiary occupation are classified as part-time. The total refers to farms with at least one hectare of land farmed and also includes intensive pig and poultry farms on smaller land areas. Farms run by commercial concerns or institutions are excluded.
The results for 1991 and 2000 are from the census of agriculture in those years. The 2001 and 2002 figures are interim estimates from the annual June agricultural survey and are subject to revision. The figures for 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999 are based on the larger-scale farm structure survey which is conducted every two to three years. The most recent farm structure survey was conducted in 2003, and results from this should be available in August 2004.
