Surveys are just one of the ways the CSO gathers data from individuals, households, and enterprises on topics such as health or employment, so we can create an accurate picture of our economy and society.
CSO surveys are conducted throughout the year and the data we collect is published as statistics. No individual, household, or enterprise can be identified from the data we publish, and your confidentiality is protected by law. Taking part in a survey is really important because it means the statistics we publish are accurate and reflect the lives of all our citizens.
In the Labour Market and Earnings section, we conduct a number of both household and enterprise surveys throughout the year. One of the most important household surveys is the Labour Force Survey, which is the official source of labour statistics in Ireland. We also ask enterprises to complete the Earnings, Hours, and Employment Costs Survey.
More information on how the CSO gathers data is available in our Trust and Transparency section with information also on how we protect your confidentiality.
To ensure we provide the most up-to-date and accurate insights, we also use data collected by civil and public service bodies, known as administrative data, to produce statistics. Section 30 of the Statistics Act, 1993 provides the legal basis for the CSO to access the data of other civil and public service bodies for statistical purposes.
The CSO uses administrative data instead of, or to complement, its survey data. This helps to improve quality, accuracy, relevance, and timeliness of results, particularly in emerging situations.
Our ability to use surveys and administrative data means the CSO is uniquely placed to provide new and timely insights on our labour market.
See our Administrative Data FAQ for more information on the CSO’s use of administrative data.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS), Structure of Earnings Survey (SES), and Earnings and Labour Costs (ELC) releases are all based on survey data.
A number of our releases are based on administrative data. These include Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources, Monthly Estimates of Payroll Employees, and Labour Market Churn, which are based on data from the Payroll Modernisation system shared with the CSO by Revenue. The Live Register is also based on administrative data that is shared with the CSO by the Department of Social Protection.
The Monthly Unemployment, which is an unofficial flash estimate based primarily on administrative data from the Live Register, is also benchmarked against the Labour Force Survey.
Survey data is useful because it allows us to ask detailed questions on specific elements of the labour market, such as hours worked or disability, which might not be readily available from administrative data sources.
A limitation of survey data is that, while nationally representative, it is drawn from a sample of the total population. Administrative data gathered by other public service bodies and used by the CSO for statistical purposes can help address this, sometimes offering a near total population level of coverage.
While administrative sources of data sometimes lack the detail of sample surveys, taken together they can provide a more complete picture of the labour market in Ireland. The CSO is uniquely placed to analyse this data and provide insight with a level of accuracy that only we can provide.
Often our survey-based statistics track in the same direction as our administrative data-based statistics. However, because they are drawn from different sources, the trends can sometimes diverge.
When there are divergences, it might suggest that one source is highlighting a trend quicker than the other or that there are structural differences in the data. The most important thing is to follow trends in the data over time, rather than differences in specific numbers at a single point in time.
The CSO has been trusted to gather data for more than 75 years so we can analyse and publish statistics and insights about Ireland’s society, economy, and environment. This trust is based on the assurance that we will protect the data we gather by adhering to the strictest rules and regulations. These safeguards around protecting your confidentiality are enshrined in both national (The Statistics Act, 1993) and European Union (EU Regulation 223/2009) law. Protecting your confidentiality is at the heart of everything we do. Learn more about how and why you can trust the CSO.