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Background Information on Northern Ireland Society - Employment

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Text and Research: Fionnuala McKenna
Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change

Employment in Northern Ireland

In 1996 approximately 10.9 percent of the population in Northern Ireland was unemployed.
Over the period 1986-1996, Northern Ireland had a higher rate of long-term unemployment that the rest of the UK as a whole.
Northern Ireland has always had a higher rate of unemployment amongst members of the Catholic community than the Protestant community.
In 1976, the first Fair Employment Act in Northern Ireland established a Fair Employment Agency in an attempt to prevent religious and political discrimination in Northern Ireland. The 1989 Fair Employment Act brought about the establishment of the Fair Employment Commission to monitor employment practices, and a Fair Employment Tribunal to hear complaints.
Figures published by the Fair Employment Commission (FEC) in 1997 estimated that Catholics accounted for over 40% of those available for work.
The Catholic share of the workforce increased from 34.9% in 1990, to 38.1% in 1996.
In 1996 more people in Northern Ireland were employed in the areas of services, manufacturing and health and social work than any other section.
From the late 1970s to the mid-1990s the number of females in the Northern Ireland workforce grew rapidly, at a much faster rate than that of males. Between 1978 and 1996, the number of females in employment increased by 71,000 while the number of males has increased by only 30,000.
The number of females employed tended to be strongest in the areas of services, health and social work, and education, while men tended to dominate areas such as the manufacturing and construction industries.

Sources:
The following tables provide further details regarding employment and unemployment in Northern Ireland. Much of this material has been taken from the Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics (1996), Regional Trends (1996), A M Gallagher, The Majority Minority Review 2: Employment, Unemployment and Religion in Northern Ireland (1991), and the Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts (1997).
Additional information on employment can be obtained from the section on Key Issues - Employment in Northern Ireland and Employment and Discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Employees in Employment: All Persons, 1988-1997

Civilian Workforce in Northern Ireland, 1988-1997

Employment structure of the civilian workforce: A comparison with England, Scotland and Wales

Number of Individuals in Self-Employment in Northern Ireland

Religious Composition of the Monitored Northern Ireland Workforce, 1997

Size of the Protestant and Catholic Workforce in the top 40 companies in Northern Ireland, 1997

Numbers involved in Employment and Training Programmes in Northern Ireland (1995)

Unemployment in Northern Ireland, by Age and Duration: All Persons (Claimant based)

Unemployment in Northern Ireland by Area: 1996-1997

Unemployment Rates in Northern Ireland, by Qualifications and Age (1981-1993)

Percentage Rate of Unemployment in Travel-to-Work Areas in Northern Ireland (1989 and 1996)

Percentage Rate of Unemployment, by Religious Affiliation (1971-1987)

List of the Top 40 Companies/Employers in Northern Ireland, by number of employees (1997)

Employees in Employment: All Persons, 1988-1997

	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing	19,590	19,990	19,910	19,230	18,940	19,190	18,880	19,450	18,810	18,660
Mining and quarrying	1,840	1,970	2,040	1,910	1,650	1,630	1,880	1,950	1,860	1,930
Manufacturing	103,950	104,510	104,370	103,280	100,720	98,570	100,730	103,590	103,050	104,680
Electricity, gas and water supply	7,030	6,810	6,750	6,570	6,190	5,780	5,230	4,850	4,590	4,330
Construction	28,180	27,910	28,760	27,120	26,000	25,030	23,790	23,850	22,560	24,230
Wholesale and retail trade: repairs	70,370	72,920	75,870	77,610	78,230	79,400	82,550	87,500	88,130	91,450
Hotels and restaurants	17,120	17,810	19,610	20,960	21,780	22,860	24,620	26,800	28,090	28,960
Transport, storage and communication	20,710	21,410	21,750	21,370	21,420	20,610	21,570	22,030	22,050	22,880
Financial intermediation	12,600	13,120	13,430	13,510	14,060	13,830	13,720	13,990	13,620	13,690
Real estate renting and business activities	21,690	23,490	26,250	27,240	27,810	28,700	29,770	31,220	32,420	34,610
Public administration and defence	57,260	56,800	57,110	57,380	58,120	59,650	59,050	59,930	59,490	58,980
Education	57,050	57,090	57,470	58,920	58,010	58,790	61,100	62,100	62,310	61,270
Health and social work	77,170	79,110	80,550	82,140	84,920	86,530	88,820	92,140	91,280	91,990
Other service activities	22,650	23,710	24,290	24,830	25,730	25,840	27,400	26,270	25,770	26,460
Services	356,610	365,470	376,330	383,960	390,080	396,210	408,600	421,980	423,160	430,280
All industries and services	517,210	526,640	538,160	542,1070	543,570	546,410	559,100	575,680	574,030	584,110

(Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics, 1998, p.95)

Civilian Workforce in Northern Ireland, 1988-1997

	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Males
Employees in employment	272,300	274,100	278,200	277,500	275,400	275,900	280,400	287,200	284,300	289,700
Self-employed	72,000	70,600	74,900	76,500	69,800	69,800	71,500	70,600	66,100	65,900
Civil employed	344,300	344,700	353,100	354,000	345,200	345,700	351,900	357,800	350,400	355,600
Unemployed (claimant based)	84,300	76,900	71,900	75,300	80,300	79,300	74,600	67,000	65,500	48,200
Total working population	428,700	421,700	425,000	429,300	425,500	425,000	426,500	424,900	415,900	403,800
Work related training schemes	5,300	6,500	8,500	13,500	12,100	10,500	10,100	10,100	9,900	9,200
Total male civilian workforce	433,900	428,200	433,500	442,800	437,600	435,500	436,600	435,000	425,900	413,000

Females
Employees in employment	244,900	252,500	259,900	264,600	268,200	270,500	278,700	288,500	289,700	294,400
Self-employed	15,000	14,400	15,400	15,700	13,500	10,900	10,700	12,200	11,500	15,900
Civil employed	259,800	267,000	275,300	280,300	281,700	281,400	289,400	300,700	301,200	310,200
Unemployed (claimant based)	31,300	27,300	23,200	22,900	24,000	23,500	21,600	18,400	19,200	12,600
Total working population	291,100	294,300	298,500	303,200	305,700	304,900	311,000	319,100	320,400	322,800
Work related training schemes	2,900	3,400	4,200	6,800	6,500	6,000	5,800	5,600	6,000	4,900
Total female civilian workforce	294,000	297,700	302,700	310,000	312,200	310,900	316,800	324,600	326,400	327800

All persons
Employees in employment	517,200	526,600	538,200	542,100	543,600	546,400	559,100	575,700	574,000	584,100
Self-employed	87,000	85,100	90,300	92,200	83,300	80,700	82,200	82,800	77,700	81,700
Civil employed	604,200	611,700	628,500	634,300	626,900	627,100	641,300	658,500	651,700	665,900
Unemployed (claimant based)	115,600	104,200	95,100	98,200	104,300	102,900	96,200	85,500	84,700	60,800
Total working population	719,800	716,000	723,500	732,500	731,200	729,900	737,500	743,900	736,400	726,700
Work related training schemes	8,100	10,000	12,700	20,300	18,600	16,500	15,800	15,700	15,900	14,100
All persons	727,900	725,900	736,200	752,800	749,800	746,400	753,400	759,600	752,300	740,700

(Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics (1998), p.91)

Employment Structure of the Civilian workforce: A comparison with England, Scotland and Wales
(in thousands)

. *Northern Ireland*	1978	1981	1986	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996
Employees in employment	523	507	502	542	545	550	560	572	574
Self employed	65	70	76	92	83	81	82	83	78
Claimant unemployed	71	114	135	104	110	108	99	90	90
Work Related Govt. -supported training	-	-	10	20	20	18	19	15	21
Civilian Workforce	659	691	722	759	759	758	759	760	762
Males	404	421	433	446	443	441	439	434	432
Females	255	270	289	313	316	316	320	326	330
*England*
Employees in employment	19,310	18,384	18,155	18,608	18,098	18,173	18,281	18,434	18,797
Self employed	1,688	1,955	2,464	2,886	2,775	2,733	2,829	2,848	2,903
Claimant unemployed	95	169	180	119	129	132	118	108	1,720
Work Related Govt. -supported training	-	-	229	253	239	239	224	178	148
Civilian Workforce	22,169	22,731	23,502	23,752	23,479	23,575	23,473	23,359	23,569
Males	13,522	13,788	13,728	13,481	13,304	13,263	13,147	13,023	13,114
Females	8,647	8,942	9,774	10,271	10,175	10,313	10,327	10,336	10,445
*Scotland*
Employees in employment	2,077	1,985	1,876	2,004	1,993	1,974	1,967	1,947	1,988
Self employed	140	139	178	221	216	220	219	236	228
Claimant unemployed	180	324	363	222	241	241	224	195	191
Work Related Govt.- supported training	-	-	28	45	39	32	31	30	27
Civilian Workforce	2,397	3,449	2,445	2,492	2,489	2,467	2,441	2,409	2,434
Males	1,430	1,447	1,425	1,401	1,404	1,369	1,356	1,335	1,308
Females	967	1,002	1,021	1,091	1,085	1,098	1,085	1,074	1,126
*Wales*
Employees in employment	1,021	939	893	964	944	959	977	975	970
Self employed	131	120	147	163	159	162	175	163	164
Claimant unemployed	95	169	180	119	129	132	118	108	103
Work Related Govt.- supported training	-	-	18	20	18	17	15	12	10
Civilian Workforce	1,247	1,228	1,239	1,265	1,251	1,269	1,287	1,258	1,247
Males	786	762	744	723	715	723	733	701	689
Females	461	466	495	542	536	546	554	556	558

(Source: Regional Trends, 1978-1997)

Numbers of Individuals in Self-Employment in Northern Ireland

.	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
*Males*
Agriculture	22,700	22,400	22,300	21,300	21,100	20,800	20,400	20,100	20,100	19,100	18,500	19,000
Production	17,600	18,900	19,800	21,200	24,000	24,000	21,100	20,800	2,9,800	25,100	22,100	19,700
Services	22,900	28,200	29,800	28,100	29,900	31,700	28,300	28,800	29,800	25,100	25,500	27,100
All Males	63,200	69,400	72,000	70,600	74,900	76,500	69,800	69,800	71,500	70,600	66,100	65,900
*Females*
Agriculture	2,800	2,700	2,800	2,300	2,100	2,100	2,300	1,700	1,600	1,400	1,300	1,100
Production	700	700	900	1,000	1,100	1,200	1,300	1,400	1,400	1,500	900	2,200
Services	9,000	10,400	11,300	11,100	12,100	12,400	9,900	7,900	7,700	9,200	9,200	12,500
All Females	12,500	13,800	15,000	14,400	15,400	15,700	13,500	10,900	10,700	12,200	11,500	15,900
*All Persons*
Agriculture	25,400	25,000	25,100	23,700	23,300	22,900	22,700	21,800	21,700	20,500	19,800	20,100
Production	18,300	19,600	20,700	22,200	25,100	25,300	22,400	22,200	23,000	27,900	23,100	22,000
Services	32,000	38,500	41,100	39,200	41,900	44,100	38,200	36,700	37,600	34,400	34,800	39,700
All Persons	75,700	83,200	87,000	85,100	90,300	92,200	83,300	80,700	82,200	82,800	77,700	81,700

Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics, (1996) p.102
Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics, (1998) p.96

Religious Composition of the Monitored Northern Ireland Workforce, 1997
(by Standard Occupational Classification)

	Protestant	Roman Catholic	Non- Determined	Total
Managers and Administrators	22,053 (60.9%) [63.6%]	12,604 (34.8%) [36.4%]	1,528 (4.2%)	36,185 (9.1%)
Professional Occupations	10,744 (51.2%) [59.0%]	7,479 (35.6%) [41.0%]	2,771 (13.2%)	20,994 (5.3%)
Associate Professional & Technical Occupations	22,222 (53.6%) [57.7%]	16,318 (39.4%) [42.3%]	2,900 (7.0%)	41,440 (10.4%)
Clerical & Secretarial Occupations	39,139 (59.9%) [61.8%]	24,869 (36.9%) [38.2%]	2,161 (3.2%)	66,169 (16.6%)
Craft & Skilled Manual Occupations	27,570 (61.8%) [63.5%]	15,819 (35.5%) [36.5%]	1,226 (2.7%)	44,615 (11.2%)
Personal & Protective Service Occupations	34,183 (63.9%) [67.5%]	16,444 (30.7%) [32.5%]	2,897 (5.4%)	53,524 (13.4%)
Sales Occupations	18,173 (58.4%)[60.5%]	11,863 (38.1%) [39.5%]	1,064 (3.4%)	31,100 (7.8%)
Plant and Machine Operatives	31,910 (56.3%) [57.7%]	23,419 (41.3%) [42.3%]	1,362 (2.4%)	56,691 (14.2%)
Other Occupations	26,944 (56.4%) [59.2%]	18,540 (38.8%) [40.8%]	2,250 (4.7%)	47,734 (12.0%)
TOTAL	232,938 (58.5%) [61.3%]	147,355 (37.0%) [38.7%]	18,159 (4.6%)	398,452 (100%)

Note: Figures in square brackets [ ] denote the composition of those for whom a community was determined.

Source: Fair Employment Commission: Monitoring Report No. 8: A Profile of Northern Ireland Workforce, Summary of Monitoring Returns 1997, Appendix 1.

Size of the Protestant and Catholic Workforce in the top 40 companies (by number of employees) in Northern Ireland, 1997

			Protestants		Catholics
Rank	Name of Company	Total No. Employees	No.	% ^[2]	No.	% ^[2]	N.D^[1]
1	Short Brothers PLC.	6,058	5,016	85.5	851	14.5	191
2	Desmond & Sons Ltd.	3,679	1,158	31.9	2,472	68.1	49
3	Queen's University of Belfast, The	3,045	1,611	67.9	763	32.1	671
4	University of Ulster	2,962	1,713	69.2	763	30.8	486
5	British Telecom Northern Ireland	2,810	1,567	56.6	1,203	43.4	40
6	Stewarts Supermarkets Ltd.	2,698	1,974	73.8	701	26.2	23
7	Adria Ltd.	2,682	372	14.1	2,263	85.9	47
8	Moy Park Ltd.	2,565	1,505	60.5	982	39.5	78
9	Super Valu Distribution Ltd.	2,551	1,202	48.5	1,277	51.5	72
10	Northern Ireland Electricity PLC.	2,254	1,642	73.8	583	26.2	29
11	Northern Bank Ltd.	2,196	1,634	75.3	537	24.7	25
12	Ulster Bank Ltd.	1,853	1,294	70.8	533	29.2	26
13	Dunnes Stores (Bangor) Ltd.	1,830	432	23.6	1,395	76.4	3
14	Crazy Prices	1,722	1,018	59.1	704	40.9	0
15	Gardner merchant Ltd.	1,546	878	58.1	632	41.9	36
16	Compass Services Ltd.	1,421	829	60.4	543	39.6	49
17	Harland & Wolff Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Ltd.	1,421	1,283	94.2	79	5.8	59
18	Marks & Spencer PLC.	1,330	739	56.9	559	43.1	32
19	Wilson FG (Engineering) Ltd.	1,293	999	78.7	271	21.3	23
20	AIB Group Northern Ireland PLC	1,288	642	53.3	562	46.7	84
21	Grafton Recruitment	1,183	537	45.8	635	54.2	11
22	Sandown Private Nursing Homes Ltd.	1,159	784	70.3	331	29.7	44
23	Michelin Tyre PLC	1,136	810	73.3	295	26.7	31
24	Gallagher Ltd.	1,114	940	85.9	154	14.1	20
25	Courtaulds Textiles (Holdings) Ltd.	1,092	510	47.0	575	53.0	7
26	Northern Telecom (NI)	1,074	765	76.3	237	23.7	72
27	AVX Ltd.	1,049	738	74.4	524	25.6	57
28	Bank of Ireland	886	403	46.0	473	54.0	10
29	Daewoo Electronics UK Ltd	854	548	65.8	285	34.2	21
30	Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.	813	538	71.3	217	28.7	58
31	Crestacare (NI) Ltd.	788	582	76.2	182	23.8	24
32	Boots Company PLC, The	772	471	63.7	268	36.3	33
33	Nacco Materials Holding (NI) Ltd.	763	476	63.9	269	36.1	18
34	Connors Chemists Ltd.	759	407	56.2	317	43.8	35
35	European Components Company Ltd.	702	595	85.1	104	14.9	3
36	ISS Mediclean Ltd.	694	341	57.8	249	42.2	104
37	Coats Viyella Clothing Shirts & Leisurewear	687	365	54.1	310	45.9	12
38	Extra Care for Elderly People Ltd.	666	371	59.4	254	40.6	41
39	Du Pont (UK) Ltd.	650	227	35.4	414	64.6	9
40	O'Kane Poultry Ltd.	603	430	73.5	155	26.5	18

Source: Fair Employment Commission (1998) Monitoring Report No. 8: A Profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce - Summary of Monitoring Returns 1997

Notes:

[1]	ND - Non Determined
[2]	For purposes of calculating percentages, the Fair Employment Commission Report excludes those with no denomination. Hence the percentage of Protestant and Catholic add up to 100%. Those excluded tend to be people born outside Northern Ireland

Numbers involved in Employment and Training Programmes in Northern Ireland (1995)

Programme	Total Numbers
Trainees on Adult courses	150
Future Managers training	450
Adults in Enterprise Ulster (trainees)	1,250
Adults in Enterprise Ulster (employees)	200
Action for Community Employment	7,700
Job Training Programme (JTP)	100
Employment Support (for the disabled)	600
Community Work Programme	550
Jobskills	13,850
Youth Training Programme (YTP)	4,200
Total (Numbers Involved)	29,050

Source: Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1997

Unemployment in Northern Ireland, by Age and Duration: All Persons (Claimant based)

Duration of Unemployment	<18	19	20-24	25-29	30-34	35-39	40-44	45-49	50-54	55-59	>60	All Ages
April 1995
1 week or less	99	88	440	350	264	213	182	197	147	75	22	2,077
1-2 weeks	99	101	453	295	217	166	116	120	140	116	33	1,856
2-4 weeks	165	140	653	436	291	191	141	125	114	80	25	1,856
4-6 weeks	143	158	592	375	285	192	167	130	86	60	18	2,206

6-8 weeks	134	149	546	390	300	206	162	146	124	80	19	2,256
8-13 weeks	317	352	1,267	887	585	434	309	313	257	208	44	4,973
13-26 weeks	491	632	2,291	1,712	1,288	814	616	542	464	376	110	9,336
26-39 weeks	413	879	1,838	1,377	943	619	506	407	418	309	78	7,787

39-52 weeks	145	352	1,380	903	701	461	387	347	320	256	54	5,306
52-65 weeks	8	243	812	770	603	468	351	301	304	330	67	4,257
65-78 weeks	3	149	650	561	423	330	253	241	205	198	25	3,038
78-104 weeks	3	264	1,271	1,046	854	621	515	471	360	346	26	5,777

2-3 years	-	4	1,485	1,414	1,325	1,058	836	768	655	602	47	8,194
3-4 years	-	-	825	1,127	1,009	873	643	640	509	462	48	6,136
4-5 years	-	-	378	766	795	674	555	465	405	303	28	4,369
Over 5 years	-	-	289	1,580	2,640	2,856	2,758	2,871	2,499	2,521	100	18,114
All Persons	2,020	3,511	15,170	13,989	12,523	10,176	8,497	8,084	7,007	6,322	744	88,043

October 1995
1 week or less	152	113	521	315	166	136	99	84	60	58	14	1,718
1-2 weeks	143	135	659	405	201	167	137	114	131	100	20	2,212
2-4 weeks	282	230	971	533	304	247	169	153	114	85	28	3,116
4-6 weeks	637	396	983	518	345	271	194	165	158	135	30	3,832

6-8 weeks	137	201	609	365	243	162	121	92	80	51	20	2,081
8-13 weeks	332	343	1,199	796	505	396	268	236	203	143	40	4,461
13-26 weeks	559	696	3,114	1,712	1,151	830	582	493	436	346	81	10,000
26-39 weeks	206	279	1,341	1,146	880	648	486	441	420	345	79	6,271

39-52 weeks	91	220	963	845	700	474	331	305	273	235	69	4,506
52-65 weeks	5	377	939	729	559	378	288	270	255	204	40	4,044
65-78 weeks	1	192	724	537	449	295	253	231	213	177	14	3,086
78-104 weeks	-	140	898	905	753	533	439	404	373	397	40	4,882

2-3 years	-	8	1,343	1,264	1,149	965	692	698	591	538	53	7,301
3-4 years	-	-	780	1,003	942	790	631	604	517	459	35	5,761
4-5 years	-	-	407	721	744	663	501	522	396	325	26	4,305
Over 5 years	-	-	284	1,517	2,700	2,828	2,780	2,851	2,470	2,411	121	17,962
All Persons	2,545	3,330	15,735	13,311	11,791	7,983	7,971	7,663	6,690	6,009	710	85,538

Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics, 1996

Unemployment in Northern Ireland by Area: 1996-1997

	1996		1997
Area	Persons	%	Persons	%
Ballymena	1,864	6.0	1,391	4.8
Belfast	34,800	8.2	27,335	6.5
Coleraine	4,572	11.2	3,578	8.8
Cookstown	1,484	13.0	973	8.6
Craigavon	5,579	7.6	4,347	6.0
Derry	7,941	13.3	7,041	11.6
Dungannon	2,281	11.1	1,813	8.6
Enniskillen	2,780	11.1	2,350	9.2
Magherafelt	1,556	9.8	1,159	7.5
Newry	4,625	13.1	3,725	10.7
Omagh	2,364	10.9	1,993	9.2
Strabane	2,094	15.3	1,827	12.6

(Source: Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1999, p.75)

Unemployment Rates in Northern Ireland, by Qualifications and Age (1981-1993)

.	Age 25-34 Qualification		Age 35-54 Qualification
	Yes	No	Yes	No
1981	6.9%	27.5%	5.4%	15.4%
1984	13.9%	26.7%	3.5%	18.4%
1989	8.9%	35.4%	7.5%	18.1%
1991	9.8%	29.8%	8.6%	20.3%
1993	13.4%	30.4%	9.1%	20.8%

(Source: Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1997)

Percentage rate of Unemployment in Travel-to-Work Areas in Northern Ireland
(1989 and 1996)

Area	Percentage Unemployed
	1989	1996
Ballymena	11.3	7.6
Belfast	15.2	10.0
Coleraine	20.1	12.8
Cookstown	29.2	15.2
Craigavon	16.1	9.3
Dungannon	24.4	13.2
Enniskillen	21.2	12.4
Derry	24.3	15.6
Magherafelt	22.8	12.3
Newry	25.8	16.2
Omagh	19.1	11.9
Strabane	29.3	17.8
All Northern Ireland	21.5%	10.9%

Sources: A.M. Gallagher, The Majority Minority Review, No.2. Employment, Unemployment and Religion in Northern Ireland, 1991; Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1997

Percentage Rate of Unemployment, by Religious Affiliation (1971-1987)

	Protestant (%)		Catholic (%)
	*Male*	*Female*	*Male*	*Female*
1971	7	4	17	7
1981	12	10	30	17
1983-84	15	11	35	17
1985-87	14	9	36	15

Source: A. M. Gallagher, The Majority Minority Review, No.2, Employment, Unemployment and Religion in Northern Ireland

Top 40 Companies/Employers in Northern Ireland, by number of employees (1997)

Rank	Name of Company/Employer	Total No. Employees
1	Short Brothers PLC.	6,058
2	Desmond & Sons Ltd.	3,679
3	Queen's University of Belfast, The	3,045
4	University of Ulster	2,962
5	British Telecom Northern Ireland	2,810
6	Stewarts Supermarkets Ltd.	2,698
7	Adria Ltd.	2,682
8	Moy Park Ltd.	2,565
9	Super Valu Distribution Ltd.	2,551
10	Northern Ireland Electricity PLC.	2,254
11	Northern Bank Ltd.	2,196
12	Ulster Bank Ltd.	1,853
13	Dunnes Stores (Bangor) Ltd.	1,830
14	Crazy Prices	1,722
15	Gardner merchant Ltd.	1,546
16	Compass Services Ltd.	1,421
17	Harland & Wolff Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Ltd.	1,421
18	Marks & Spencer PLC.	1,330
19	Wilson FG (Engineering) Ltd.	1,293
20	AIB Group Northern Ireland PLC	1,288
21	Grafton Recruitment	1,183
22	Sandown Private Nursing Homes Ltd.	1,159
23	Michelin Tyre PLC	1,136
24	Gallagher Ltd.	1,114
25	Courtaulds Textiles (Holdings) Ltd.	1,092
26	Northern Telecom (NI)	1,074
27	AVX Ltd.	1,049
28	Bank of Ireland	886
29	Daewoo Electronics UK Ltd	854
30	Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.	813
31	Crestacare (NI) Ltd.	788
32	Boots Company PLC, The	772
33	Nacco Materials Holding (NI) Ltd.	763
34	Connors Chemists Ltd.	759
35	European Components Company Ltd.	702
36	ISS Mediclean Ltd.	694
37	Coats Viyella Clothing Shirts & Leisurewear	687
38	Extra Care for Elderly People Ltd.	666
39	Du Pont (UK) Ltd.	650
40	O'Kane Poultry Ltd.	603

Source: Fair Employment Commission (1998) Monitoring Report No. 8: A Profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce - Summary of Monitoring Returns 1997

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