Paul Lawless
Ceist:830. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers leaving the sector on an annual basis over the past ten years [14902/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 February 2026
Ceisteanna (830)
Freagraí scríofa
The results of the Central Statistics Office's 2023 Farm Structure Survey were published in December 2024. These results show that since the Farm Structure Survey in 2013, the total number of farm holdings decreased by 6,421 (-5%), from 139,595 in 2013 to 133,174 in 2023.
As detailed in the table below, the Farm Structure Survey provides data on the number of family farm holders who regard farming as their 'sole', 'major' or 'subsidiary' occupation. Compared to the 2013 Farm Structure Survey, the 2023 release shows that the number of family farm holders who indicate that farming is their sole or major occupation has declined from 105,500 to 96,300, a decrease of 9,200 (-8.7%). Among farm holders who indicate that farm work is their subsidiary occupation, a decrease of 1,800 (-5.4%) was recorded , from 33,500 to 31,700.
Table 1 - CSO Farm Structure Survey - Significance of Farm Work on Family Farms 2013 and 2023
|
|
2013 |
|
2023 |
|
|
Significance of Farm Work on Family Farms |
Number |
% |
Number |
% |
|
Sole Occupation |
70,300 |
50% |
67,400 |
50% |
|
Major Occupation |
35,200 |
25% |
28,900 |
22% |
|
Total Sole or Major Occupation |
105,500 |
75% |
96,300 |
72% |
|
Subsidiary Occupation |
33,500 |
24% |
31,700 |
24% |
|
Total Family Farms |
139,000 |
99.6% |
128,000 |
96% |
|
Non-Family Farms |
595 |
0.4% |
5,174 |
4% |
|
Total Farms |
139,595 |
100% |
133,174 |
100% |
The Farm Structure Survey also provides information on the Agriculture Labour Force, defined as all those who worked on farms in Ireland in a given year. The survey reports that 299,725 people worked on farms in Ireland in 2023, including farm holders, family workers and regular non-family workers. This represents an increase of approximately 30,000 workers (+11.2%) in the 10-year period since 2013, when it was 269,500 people.