Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Ireland

Self-employed in Ireland in 2025 — 13.4%. Ranked 146 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 10.1 pp.

2025 13.4% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 146of 182
Period maximum 24%1992
Period minimum 13.4%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Ireland, 1991–20251015202519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 23.5%1992: 24%1993: 23.4%1994: 22.6%1995: 22.1%1996: 20.9%1997: 20.8%1998: 20.3%1999: 19.3%2000: 19.1%2001: 18.3%2002: 18%2003: 17.7%2004: 17.9%2005: 17.4%2006: 16.2%2007: 16.3%2008: 16.8%2009: 17.5%2010: 17.2%2011: 16.8%2012: 16.8%2013: 17%2014: 16.8%2015: 16.5%2016: 16.2%2017: 15.4%2018: 15%2019: 14.4%2020: 14.5%2021: 14.2%2022: 14%2023: 14.1%2024: 13.4%2025: 13.4%
Change over the period: −10.1 pp Annual average: -0.3 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Ireland

Ireland 13.4%
World 46.4%
Northern Europe computed 12%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — Ireland, by year Ireland All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 13.4 −0.1 pp
2024 13.4 −0.6 pp
2023 14.1 +0.1 pp
2022 14 −0.1 pp
2021 14.2 −0.4 pp
2020 14.5 +0.1 pp
2019 14.4 −0.6 pp
2018 15 −0.4 pp
2017 15.4 −0.8 pp
2016 16.2 −0.2 pp
2015 16.5 −0.3 pp
2014 16.8 −0.2 pp
2013 17 +0.2 pp
2012 16.8 +0 pp
2011 16.8 −0.4 pp
2010 17.2 −0.3 pp
2009 17.5 +0.7 pp
2008 16.8 +0.5 pp
2007 16.3 +0 pp
2006 16.2 −1.1 pp
2005 17.4 −0.6 pp
2004 17.9 +0.2 pp
2003 17.7 −0.3 pp
2002 18 −0.3 pp
2001 18.3 −0.8 pp
2000 19.1 −0.2 pp
1999 19.3 −1 pp
1998 20.3 −0.5 pp
1997 20.8 −0.1 pp
1996 20.9 −1.2 pp
1995 22.1 −0.5 pp
1994 22.6 −0.7 pp
1993 23.4 −0.6 pp
1992 24 +0.5 pp
1991 23.5

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.