Economic and demographic adjustment of the Irish agricultural labour force, 1961-66

The 1961-66 intercensal period saw the continuation of the post-war decline in both the absolute size of the Irish farm labour force and its share in total employment. In this paper attention is focussed on the different patterns of adjustment in the numbers of farmers, farmers' relatives assisting, and agricultural labourers. The importance of the mortality of the existing labour force in bringing about the reduction in numbers is documented. The factors affecting net mobility out of farming occupations are studied in detail for the cohort of males aged 15-19 in 1961. The dominant role of income expectations as a determinant of net mobility is supported by the results of an estimated (ordinary least squares) regression model.