The number of people working in two or more jobs has increased significantly over the past 20 years, according to a new paper from economists at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The report found that at the end of last year, there were 80,000 people aged 15-64 employed in two or more jobs compared to approximately 30,000 in 2002.
In addition, approximately 4,000 people aged 65 and over were also employed in multiple jobs.
In percentage terms, 3.2% of people in employment here work multiple jobs compared to 1.9% in 2002.
The report notes that the number of people in employment in Ireland has recovered strongly since Covid-19. In the fourth quarter of 2022, there were 2.57 million people in employment, which was an increase of almost 40% over 20 years.
The most recent increase in employment has seen more women enter the workforce, with opportunities opening up with more remote working. 120,000 more women are working since the end of 2019.
The report also notes that digitalisation has allowed the growth of so-called 'platform' work. This is where people work collaboratively online to perform certain tasks. It can be done remotely and is often done on a freelance basis or through short-term contracts.
There has also been a bigger increase in part-time employment compared to full-time jobs. Part-time employment has grown by 77% since 2002, compared to a 32% increase in full-time
