* Up until the early 2000s, two versions of each report were released, one with pictures and one without; the ones used here are the ones with pictures.
* Passenger journey numbers for 1998 are an estimate from the 1999 figure, which that report stated had been a 1.9% increase on the previous year.
* Passenger journey numbers for 2002 are a sum of the given InterCity numbers (11.3 million) and DART/Suburban rail numbers (24.1) since the total number does not appear to be given directly in the report.
* Passenger journey numbers were apparently not released for 2010 and 2011.
* The 2008 report notes the number of passenger journeys for 2008 as 43.3 million, which is at odds with the figure given in the 2009 report for 2008 of 44.7 million; the 2008 report figure has been used here.
* Staff numbers and payroll figures for 1998 are taken from the 1999 report, where 1998 figures were given for comparison.
* From 2004 to 2009, separate staff numbers are given for infrastructure and projects; for other years they are combined (listed under infrastructure). As such, for consistency, figures given here for infrastructure include figures given for projects in those years.
* From 2005 on, figures for numbers of staff in railway operations and catering are combined (listed under railway operations); in fact, the company ceased the direct provision of catering entirely in 2007 (outsourcing it instead). From 2010 on, separate staff numbers are given for railway operations and central services; for other years they are combined (listed under railway operations). As such, for consistency, figures given here for railway operations include those given for catering and central services in those reports.
* Until 2000, payroll figures are given in Irish pounds. Figures for those years have been converted here using the exchange rate 1 Euro = 0.787564 IR£
* Payroll figures are given as stated in the reports. They are not adjusted for inflation or in any other way manipulated.
* The payroll figure for 2004 given in the 2004 report differs from the comparative 2004 number given in the 2005 report. The number used here is the number given in the 2004 report.
* The payroll figure for 2014 given in the 2014 report differs from the comparative 2014 number given in the 2015 report. The number used here is the number given in the 2014 report.
​
Observations:
* The correlation between staff numbers and passenger numbers is surprisingly weak (even discounting the peculiarity of 2020/2021). It is also worth noting that the reduction in staff numbers was not specifically related to the 2008 financial crash, as it had already begun 5-6 years earlier.
* The numbers working in freight decreased consistently in the reference period, with only a couple of exceptional years with marginal increases, reducing from 215 in 1998 to just 4 in 2021.
* Staff numbers in Rosslare Harbour/Rosslare Europort have been the most consistent. There were minor fluctuations throughout the reference period, but the number in 2021 was exactly the same as the number in 1998 (77).
* With a small number of exceptional years, the number of words in the report increased steadily over the reference period. This happened all throughout the period when the number of staff in operations and infrastructure decreased.
Bus numbers have now exceeded the peak of 2019 again, and while rail numbers were lower for the year overall (at 36 million) by November 2022 they too had already exceeded the 2019 peak figures.
“I’m sorry Pat. We have to let you go… But we’ll add a few words to the annual report to make up for it.”
🤣
Ignoring the COVID numbers, that shows really quite decent growth. I suspect we might need a network capable of carrying 100m passengers a year, but nice to see the steady tick up.
You’d expect the staff to passenger numbers to be relatively weak, given the technological transformation in rail over the years. When was the last time you bought a ticket off a person, for example. They’ve also been outsourcing a lot of things over the years – it just isn’t worth employing staff in a semi state, with a defined benefit pension in many cases, versus just employing someone via agency.
I don’t really see the value in comparing number of staff against payroll unless you are going to adjust for inflation across the same period.
Any insights on the increased word count in reports? It’s a strange statistic for them to even publish, I don’t suppose there’s any further details on the topic?
If planning applications make up a good portion of their reports then I suppose it makes sense as planning conditions have gotten so much stricter. Can’t think of any other factors that would apply here.
How many trains do we have? 4000 staff for 5 or 6 lines seems excessive?
Would be good to see these numbers presented on a per capita basis.
Between 2010 and 2020, population grew by about 10% but rail patronage grew by 25%. That seems pretty robust.
9 comments
Notes:
* Up until the early 2000s, two versions of each report were released, one with pictures and one without; the ones used here are the ones with pictures.
* Passenger journey numbers for 1998 are an estimate from the 1999 figure, which that report stated had been a 1.9% increase on the previous year.
* Passenger journey numbers for 2002 are a sum of the given InterCity numbers (11.3 million) and DART/Suburban rail numbers (24.1) since the total number does not appear to be given directly in the report.
* Passenger journey numbers were apparently not released for 2010 and 2011.
* The 2008 report notes the number of passenger journeys for 2008 as 43.3 million, which is at odds with the figure given in the 2009 report for 2008 of 44.7 million; the 2008 report figure has been used here.
* Staff numbers and payroll figures for 1998 are taken from the 1999 report, where 1998 figures were given for comparison.
* From 2004 to 2009, separate staff numbers are given for infrastructure and projects; for other years they are combined (listed under infrastructure). As such, for consistency, figures given here for infrastructure include figures given for projects in those years.
* From 2005 on, figures for numbers of staff in railway operations and catering are combined (listed under railway operations); in fact, the company ceased the direct provision of catering entirely in 2007 (outsourcing it instead). From 2010 on, separate staff numbers are given for railway operations and central services; for other years they are combined (listed under railway operations). As such, for consistency, figures given here for railway operations include those given for catering and central services in those reports.
* Until 2000, payroll figures are given in Irish pounds. Figures for those years have been converted here using the exchange rate 1 Euro = 0.787564 IR£
* Payroll figures are given as stated in the reports. They are not adjusted for inflation or in any other way manipulated.
* The payroll figure for 2004 given in the 2004 report differs from the comparative 2004 number given in the 2005 report. The number used here is the number given in the 2004 report.
* The payroll figure for 2014 given in the 2014 report differs from the comparative 2014 number given in the 2015 report. The number used here is the number given in the 2014 report.
​
Observations:
* The correlation between staff numbers and passenger numbers is surprisingly weak (even discounting the peculiarity of 2020/2021). It is also worth noting that the reduction in staff numbers was not specifically related to the 2008 financial crash, as it had already begun 5-6 years earlier.
* The numbers working in freight decreased consistently in the reference period, with only a couple of exceptional years with marginal increases, reducing from 215 in 1998 to just 4 in 2021.
* Staff numbers in Rosslare Harbour/Rosslare Europort have been the most consistent. There were minor fluctuations throughout the reference period, but the number in 2021 was exactly the same as the number in 1998 (77).
* With a small number of exceptional years, the number of words in the report increased steadily over the reference period. This happened all throughout the period when the number of staff in operations and infrastructure decreased.
​
Sources:
[https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/about-us/company-information/iarnrod-eireann-annual-reports](https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/about-us/company-information/iarnrod-eireann-annual-reports)
[https://web.archive.org/web/20040803224432/http://www.irishrail.ie/about_us/annual_reports.asp](https://web.archive.org/web/20040803224432/http://www.irishrail.ie/about_us/annual_reports.asp)
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2023/01/31/rail-passenger-numbers-down-by-28-on-pre-pandemic-levels-last-year/
Bus numbers have now exceeded the peak of 2019 again, and while rail numbers were lower for the year overall (at 36 million) by November 2022 they too had already exceeded the 2019 peak figures.
“I’m sorry Pat. We have to let you go… But we’ll add a few words to the annual report to make up for it.”
🤣
Ignoring the COVID numbers, that shows really quite decent growth. I suspect we might need a network capable of carrying 100m passengers a year, but nice to see the steady tick up.
You’d expect the staff to passenger numbers to be relatively weak, given the technological transformation in rail over the years. When was the last time you bought a ticket off a person, for example. They’ve also been outsourcing a lot of things over the years – it just isn’t worth employing staff in a semi state, with a defined benefit pension in many cases, versus just employing someone via agency.
I don’t really see the value in comparing number of staff against payroll unless you are going to adjust for inflation across the same period.
Any insights on the increased word count in reports? It’s a strange statistic for them to even publish, I don’t suppose there’s any further details on the topic?
If planning applications make up a good portion of their reports then I suppose it makes sense as planning conditions have gotten so much stricter. Can’t think of any other factors that would apply here.
How many trains do we have? 4000 staff for 5 or 6 lines seems excessive?
Would be good to see these numbers presented on a per capita basis.
Between 2010 and 2020, population grew by about 10% but rail patronage grew by 25%. That seems pretty robust.