Ireland
Title of the survey:
Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS).
Organization responsible for the survey:
Planning and conduct of the survey:
Central Statistical Office (CSO).
Analysis and publication of the results:
Central Statistical Office (CSO).
Topics covered:
Persons currently and usually economically active, employed and unemployed; persons currently in time-related underemployment, persons in inadequate employment situations and persons currently outside the labour force; discouraged workers; hours of work; duration of employment and unemployment; second jobs; industry; occupation; status in employment; education/training levels.
Coverage of the survey:
Geographical:
Whole country.
Population groups:
Non-institutional population of age 15 years and above.
Availability of estimates from other sources for the excluded areas/groups:
None.
Groups covered by the survey but excluded from the published results:
None.
Periodicity:
Conduct of the survey:
Continuous.
Publication of results:
Quarterly.
Reference periods:
Employment:
One week.
Seeking work:
The four weeks preceding the interview.
Availability for work:
The four weeks following the interview.
Concepts and definitions:
Employment:
Persons aged 15 years and over, who a) performed some work in the week before the survey for one hour or more for pay or profit, including work on the family farm or business; and b) were temporarily absent from work during the reference week because of illness, holidays, etc. The armed forces are included in the employed.
Unemployment:
Persons aged 15 years and over who were currently without work and available for work within four weeks, and who had searched for work sometime during the last four weeks.
Underemployment:
Time-related underemployment:
Employed persons working in a part-time job with “too few hours”, who have searched for and were available for another job.
Inadequate employment situations:
Not currently published but additional analysis is possible.
Hours of work:
Usual and actual (hours worked) during the reference week.
Employment-related income:
Income from paid employment:
Not applicable.
Income from self-employment:
Not applicable.
Informal sector:
Not separately specified.
Usual activity:
No information provided.
Classifications:
Branch of economic activity (industry):
Title of the classification:
Irish adaptation of NACE, rev. 1.
Population groups classified by industry:
Employed and unemployed persons (unemployed are only classified if they had a job in the past 10 years).
Number of groups used for coding:
3 digit level.
Links to ISIC:
ISIC-Rev.3 (2 digit level).
Occupation:
Title of the classification:
Standard Occupations Classification 1990 (SOC 90).
Population groups classified by occupation:
Employed and unemployed persons (unemployed are only classified if they had a job in the past 10 years).
Number of groups used for coding:
3 digit level.
Links to ISCO:
ISCO-88 (3 digit level).
Status in employment:
Title of the classification:
No information provided.
Population groups classified by status in employment:
Employed persons.
Groups used for classification:
Employees; self-employed with or without at least one employee; assisting relatives.
Links to ICSE:
ICSE-1993.
Education:
Title of the classification:
National classification.
Population groups classified by education:
All persons aged 15 years and over.
Groups used for classification:
No formal education; pre-primary; primary; junior/group/intermediate certificate; transition year programme; leaving certificate applied; leaving certificate vocational programme; leaving certificate established; PLC; apprenticeship; certificate in farming; cadetship; national certificate/diploma; primary degree; postgraduate certificate/diploma; postgraduate degree; doctorate; other.
Links to ISCED:
ISCED-1976 and ISCED-1997.
Sample size and design:
Ultimate sampling unit:
Household.
Sample size (ultimate sampling units):
39,000 each quarter.
Overall sampling fraction:
1/32.
Sample frame:
Based on 1996 population census. Two stage design: first stage sample of 2 600 blocks with about 75 dwellings each at county level to represent 8 strata according to population density. 15 households surveyed in each block.
Updating of the sample:
It was the intention to follow 2001 population census. However, due to foot and mouth precautions, the 2001 Census of Population was delayed until2002. The sample frame was updated using a combination of preliminary work done for the 2001 Census, the geo-directory and other sources, and updating will be done as Census of Population 2002 results become available.
Rotation:
Scheme:
Households participate for 5 consecutive quarters and are then replaced by other households in the block.
Percentage of units remaining in the sample for two consecutive survey rounds:
80 percent.
Maximum number of interviews per sample unit:
No information provided.
Length of time for complete renewal of the sample:
About 5 years.
Field work:
Type of interview:
Computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI).
Number of ultimate sampling units per sample area:
No information.
Duration of field work:
Total:
Continuous.
Per sample area:
No information.
Survey organization:
Permanent.
Number of field staff:
150 interviewers and 10 field coordinators.
Substitution of non-responding ultimate sampling units:
No.
Estimation and adjustments:
Total non-response rate:
6.3 percent.
Adjustment for total non-response:
No.
Imputation for item non-response:
No.
Adjustment for areas/population not covered:
No.
Adjustment for undercoverage:
No.
Adjustment for overcoverage:
No.
Adjustment for seasonal variations:
As the Quarterly National Household Survey is conducted since 1997, it has not yet been seasonally adjusted. However, background work is in progress.
History of the survey:
Title and date of the first survey:
QNHS started in SeptemberNovember 1997 and replaced the Annual Labour Force Survey conducted in April-May of each year.
Significant changes or revisions:
None after 1997.
Documentation and dissemination:
Documentation:
Survey results:
Quarterly National Household Survey (ISSN 13936875).
Survey methodology:
Quarterly National Household Survey (ISSN 1393-6875).
Dissemination:
Time needed for initial release of survey results:
About 3 months.
Advance information of public about date of initial release:
Yes.
Availability of unpublished data upon request:
Yes.
Availability of data in machine-readable form:
Yes, subject to charges.
Website:
http://www.cso.ie/.