According to the CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey, the number of people employed in the Food and Drink manufacturing sector has fallen to 43,900 in Quarter 1 2010. This is a decline of 3,500 versus the previous quarter, but please note the figures are not seasonally adjusted.

However, when comparing Quarter 1 2010 with the same quarter in previous years, it is clear that the long term trend line is downwards. For example, as recently as 2007 there were 55,900 people directly employed in manufacturing jobs in the food and drink sector. This means that there has been a drop of 12,000 jobs in just 3 years (or 21.5%). The figure for the same period in 2008 was 49,800 and in 2009 it stood at 47,500.

Food manufacturing jobs (which account for the vast majority of food and drink jobs) have declined to 37,800 in Q1 2010.  This is only the second time since 2004 that the number has dipped below 40,000.  The other occasion was Q3 2009 when the figure was 39,800.

Beverage manufacturing jobs amounted to 6,100 in the latest quarter on record. Conversely this was the highest recorded total since Quarter 2 2008 and the highest Quarter 1 total since Q1 2007, when it stood at 6,400.

Please see quarterly trended data below for the period 2004 to 2010.

The CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is a large-scale, nationwide survey of households in Ireland. It is designed to produce quarterly labour force estimates that include the official measure of employment and unemployment in the state.

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