This report documents the technical foundations of What Does Ireland Do? – an interactive data platform developed to provide detailed insight into the structure and evolution of the Irish economy since 2008.
Ireland’s economic landscape has undergone substantial change since the global financial crisis. However, much of the transformation since has occurred beneath the surface of national aggregates and obscures the sectoral and sub-sectoral changes in our economy, driving by various forces and mega-trends. The platform addresses this by offering a detailed, data-driven picture of what different sectors and sub-sectors in Ireland’s economy actually do: how they have changed, who they employ, and how work is organised within them.
Covering 19 broad sectors and over 50 sub-sectors, the platform provides data on employment, demographics, working conditions, skills and training, and business characteristics from 2008 to the most recently available year. Each is presented as a standalone profile, drawing together multiple strands of information to give users a grounded understanding of the shape and dynamics of that part of the economy.
This technical report outlines the sources, classifications, and methods used to build the platform.