The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of estimates for the information requested.
The data requested by the Deputy are presented in the table in respect of the first quarters of 2007 and 2009. Data for the second quarter of 2009 are also supplied but due to the introduction of a new classification of educational attainment level they cannot be directly compared to the data for previous quarters. (See table footnote).
Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 1 2007
|
Highest education level attained
|
Number in employment
|
Number in labour force
|
Unemployed
|
Participation rate
|
Unemployment rate
|
|
’000
|
’000
|
’000
|
%
|
%
|
|
Primary or below
|
2.9
|
4.2
|
1.2
|
6.2
|
28.6
|
|
Lower secondary
|
27.4
|
31.9
|
4.5
|
22.0
|
14.1
|
|
Higher secondary
|
35.1
|
39.1
|
4.0
|
58.4
|
10.2
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
1.3
|
1.5
|
*
|
71.4
|
*
|
|
Third level non degree
|
*
|
1.0
|
*
|
66.7
|
*
|
|
Third level degree or above
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Other
|
1.5
|
1.7
|
*
|
58.6
|
*
|
|
Total persons aged 15 to 19
|
69.3
|
79.5
|
10.2
|
27.7
|
12.8
|
|
Primary or below
|
4.8
|
6.2
|
1.4
|
50.4
|
22.6
|
|
Lower secondary
|
19.0
|
22.8
|
3.8
|
76.0
|
16.7
|
|
Higher secondary
|
111.5
|
118.4
|
6.9
|
70.0
|
5.8
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
29.4
|
30.8
|
1.4
|
88.8
|
4.5
|
|
Third level non-honours degree
|
22.2
|
23.2
|
1.0
|
81.7
|
4.3
|
|
Third level honours degree or above
|
45.4
|
47.5
|
2.1
|
83.5
|
4.4
|
|
Other
|
12.3
|
13.4
|
1.1
|
82.7
|
8.2
|
|
Total persons aged 20 to 24
|
244.6
|
262.3
|
17.7
|
75.4
|
6.7
|
|
Primary or below
|
7.8
|
9.6
|
1.8
|
60.4
|
18.8
|
|
Lower secondary
|
22.9
|
26.2
|
3.3
|
76.2
|
12.6
|
|
Higher secondary
|
86.3
|
91.5
|
5.2
|
84.6
|
5.7
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
40.4
|
42.2
|
1.8
|
92.3
|
4.3
|
|
Third level non degree
|
46.4
|
48.2
|
1.8
|
92.9
|
3.7
|
|
Third level degree or above
|
104.1
|
106.8
|
2.7
|
91.4
|
2.5
|
|
Other
|
22.8
|
24.2
|
1.3
|
86.4
|
5.4
|
|
Total persons aged 25 to 29
|
330.7
|
348.8
|
18.1
|
87.0
|
5.2
|
|
Primary or below
|
157.2
|
169.4
|
12.2
|
51.9
|
7.2
|
|
Lower secondary
|
234.1
|
246.3
|
12.2
|
70.4
|
5.0
|
|
Higher secondary
|
335.3
|
345.0
|
9.6
|
76.6
|
2.8
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
156.4
|
161.2
|
4.7
|
81.6
|
2.9
|
|
Third level non-honours degree
|
162.9
|
167.5
|
4.6
|
84.5
|
2.7
|
|
Third level honours degree or above
|
312.1
|
318.5
|
6.5
|
89.2
|
2.0
|
|
Other
|
43.5
|
45.4
|
2.0
|
77.1
|
4.4
|
|
Total persons aged 30 to 64
|
1,401.6
|
1,453.4
|
51.8
|
75.0
|
3.6
|
Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 1 2009
|
Highest education level attained
|
Number in employment
|
Number in labour force
|
Unemployed
|
Participation rate
|
Unemployment rate
|
|
’000
|
’000
|
’000
|
%
|
%
|
|
Primary or below
|
1.2
|
2.1
|
*
|
3.2
|
*
|
|
Lower secondary
|
14.5
|
20.3
|
5.7
|
14.2
|
28.1
|
|
Higher secondary
|
22.9
|
29.8
|
6.9
|
43.8
|
23.2
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
1.3
|
1.8
|
*
|
75.0
|
*
|
|
Third level non degree
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Third level degree or above
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Other
|
*
|
1.0
|
*
|
37.0
|
*
|
|
Total persons aged 15 to 19
|
41.4
|
55.7
|
14.3
|
19.7
|
25.6
|
|
Primary or below
|
2.7
|
4.3
|
1.5
|
53.1
|
34.9
|
|
Lower secondary
|
12.2
|
18.8
|
6.6
|
69.9
|
35.1
|
|
Higher secondary
|
89.0
|
107.0
|
18.0
|
65.6
|
16.8
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
15.3
|
19.8
|
4.5
|
84.3
|
22.7
|
|
Third level non degree
|
18.9
|
21.9
|
3.0
|
81.7
|
13.7
|
|
Third level degree or above
|
37.8
|
42.6
|
4.8
|
80.2
|
11.3
|
|
Other
|
7.0
|
8.3
|
1.3
|
63.8
|
15.7
|
|
Total persons aged 20 to 24
|
182.9
|
222.6
|
39.7
|
70.8
|
17.8
|
|
Primary or below
|
5.4
|
7.3
|
1.9
|
49.0
|
26.0
|
|
Lower secondary
|
18.3
|
25.8
|
7.5
|
73.5
|
29.1
|
|
Higher secondary
|
79.8
|
93.8
|
14.0
|
83.1
|
14.9
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
35.2
|
43.5
|
8.3
|
86.7
|
19.1
|
|
Third level non degree
|
43.3
|
47.3
|
4.0
|
87.8
|
8.5
|
|
Third level degree or above
|
108.6
|
117.6
|
8.9
|
91.5
|
7.6
|
|
Other
|
14.5
|
17.5
|
3.0
|
81.4
|
17.1
|
|
Total persons aged 25 to 29
|
305.2
|
352.8
|
47.6
|
84.6
|
13.5
|
|
Primary or below
|
123.9
|
141.4
|
17.6
|
49.3
|
12.4
|
|
Lower secondary
|
208.5
|
236.2
|
27.7
|
68.5
|
11.7
|
|
Higher secondary
|
334.8
|
361.1
|
26.3
|
75.9
|
7.3
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
141.4
|
158.5
|
17.1
|
80.1
|
10.8
|
|
Third level non degree
|
187.6
|
199.0
|
11.4
|
84.1
|
5.7
|
|
Third level degree or above
|
353.5
|
368.3
|
14.8
|
88.2
|
4.0
|
|
Other
|
42.1
|
48.0
|
5.9
|
73.6
|
12.3
|
|
Total persons aged 30 to 64
|
1,391.8
|
1,512.6
|
120.8
|
74.7
|
8.0
|
Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 2 2009
|
Highest education level attained
|
Number in employment
|
Number in labour force
|
Unemployed
|
Participation rate
|
Unemployment rate
|
|
’000
|
’000
|
’000
|
%
|
%
|
|
Primary or below
|
*
|
1.6
|
*
|
2.7
|
*
|
|
Lower secondary
|
13.9
|
23.7
|
9.8
|
16.0
|
41.4
|
|
Higher secondary
|
21.8
|
31.9
|
10.1
|
49.2
|
31.7
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
1.8
|
3.0
|
1.2
|
76.9
|
40.0
|
|
Third level non-honours degree1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Third level honours degree or above1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Other
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
Total persons aged 15 to 19
|
39.1
|
61.5
|
22.4
|
22.1
|
36.4
|
|
Primary or below
|
2.5
|
4.3
|
1.8
|
46.2
|
41.9
|
|
Lower secondary
|
10.3
|
19.0
|
8.7
|
72.2
|
45.8
|
|
Higher secondary
|
79.6
|
100.9
|
21.2
|
68.9
|
21.0
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
19.9
|
27.4
|
7.4
|
83.8
|
27.0
|
|
Third level non-honours degree1
|
22.7
|
28.5
|
5.7
|
84.1
|
20.0
|
|
Third level honours degree or above1
|
31.4
|
36.7
|
5.3
|
81.4
|
14.4
|
|
Other
|
6.2
|
7.7
|
1.4
|
68.8
|
18.2
|
|
Total persons aged 20 to 24
|
172.8
|
224.5
|
51.7
|
73.6
|
23.0
|
|
Primary or below
|
4.8
|
8.4
|
3.6
|
53.8
|
42.9
|
|
Lower secondary
|
18.4
|
26.9
|
8.5
|
73.3
|
31.6
|
|
Higher secondary
|
70.7
|
84.8
|
14.0
|
81.8
|
16.5
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
43.4
|
53.3
|
10.0
|
88.1
|
18.8
|
|
Third level non-honours degree1
|
59.3
|
65.5
|
6.2
|
89.8
|
9.5
|
|
Third level honours degree or above1
|
90.4
|
98.6
|
8.2
|
92.6
|
8.3
|
|
Other
|
12.7
|
14.5
|
1.8
|
82.9
|
12.4
|
|
Total persons aged 25 to 29
|
299.7
|
352.1
|
52.3
|
85.2
|
14.9
|
|
Primary or below
|
117.3
|
136.4
|
19.0
|
48.2
|
13.9
|
|
Lower secondary
|
199.8
|
230.6
|
30.8
|
68.4
|
13.4
|
|
Higher secondary
|
320.2
|
348.7
|
28.6
|
76.1
|
8.2
|
|
Post leaving cert
|
172.0
|
194.1
|
22.2
|
80.3
|
11.4
|
|
Third level non-honours degree1
|
235.9
|
253.6
|
17.7
|
84.9
|
7.0
|
|
Third level honours degree or above1
|
304.8
|
318.6
|
13.8
|
88.7
|
4.3
|
|
Other
|
32.4
|
37.9
|
5.5
|
70.4
|
14.5
|
|
Total persons aged 30 to 64
|
1,382.3
|
1,520.0
|
137.7
|
74.8
|
9.1
|
1A break in continuity has occurred in the Educational Attainment series and, therefore, data from Q2 2009 is not directly comparable with previous quarters. The classification of educational levels has been revised in order to facilitate the linking of education categories to the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), while also retaining links with the international education classification, ISCED97. This affects the classification in a number of ways. One key difference is the distinction between ordinary and honours level degrees.
Figures marked with a * refer to estimates of below 1,000 persons. Such estimates are considered to be unreliable and as such are not presented.
Data may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values or estimates of change.
Reference period: q1=Jan-Mar, q2=Apr-Jun, q3=Jul-Sep, q4=Oct-Dec.
Source: Quarterly National Houehold Survey, Central Statistics Office.
