Public budgets

Ireland: public budget

What Ireland's government raised and what it spent it on, from the figures its own budget laws or a statistics office publish. Solon places every figure on the same international classification, so it can be compared with any other place.

General government, 2024

Outturn: what came in and was spent

General government: central, state and local government and social security funds together, consolidated so that money passed between them is counted once, as Eurostat's government finance statistics (ESA 2010) count it.

Amounts in USD, converted from EUR at 2024's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$161.43B · 26.5% of GDP
Spending
$136.38B · 22.4% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
$25.36B · 4.2% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2024: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2024: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36.3$49.57B
Health23.2$31.65B
Education12$16.32B
Economic affairs9.3$12.63B
General public services8.9$12.08B
Public order and safety3.3$4.51B
Housing and community amenities2.7$3.67B
Environmental protection1.9$2.54B
Recreation, culture and religion1.8$2.5B
Defence0.7$909.97M
Social protection$49.57B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age36.7$18.21B
Family and children18.5$9.19B
Sickness and disability13.2$6.54B
Housing11.9$5.89B
Unemployment7.8$3.87B
Social exclusion n.e.c.6.7$3.34B
Survivors4.3$2.13B
Social protection n.e.c.0.8$378.3M
R&D Social protection0$22.51M
Health$31.65B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services52$16.46B
Outpatient services31.3$9.9B
Medical products, appliances and equipment11.2$3.56B
Public health services2.8$886.38M
Health n.e.c.2.3$741.12M
R&D Health0.3$102.18M
Education$16.32B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education41.6$6.79B
Secondary education30.1$4.91B
Tertiary education16.4$2.67B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.4$879.67M
Subsidiary services to education2.8$458.07M
Education n.e.c.2.4$396.05M
Education not definable by level1.3$205.22M
R&D Education0.1$10.82M
Economic affairs$12.63B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport54.8$6.93B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs13.5$1.71B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting12.3$1.56B
R&D Economic affairs6.9$867.44M
Economic affairs n.e.c.4$508.4M
Fuel and energy3.1$393.45M
Other industries2.8$348.86M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.8$230.77M
Communication0.7$88.32M
General public services$12.08B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs46.4$5.6B
Public debt transactions30.6$3.7B
General services13$1.56B
Foreign economic aid4.9$592.4M
Basic research4.5$538.71M
General public services n.e.c.0.7$81.18M
R&D General public services0$216.48K
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Public order and safety$4.51B
Public order and safety, in detail, as a share of it
Public order and safety, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Police services54.2$2.44B
Law courts18.4$827.6M
Prisons14.2$639.59M
Fire-protection services10$451.36M
Public order and safety n.e.c.3.3$146.67M
R&D Public order and safety0$108.24K
Housing and community amenities$3.67B
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Water supply47.7$1.75B
Housing development26.6$977.41M
Community development19.7$723.8M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.5.1$185.42M
Street lighting0.9$33.55M
R&D Housing and community amenities0$0
Environmental protection$2.54B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management45.1$1.15B
Pollution abatement30.3$770.13M
Environmental protection n.e.c.9.3$236.18M
Waste management7.9$199.7M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape6.3$160.2M
R&D Environmental protection1.2$30.2M
Recreation, culture and religion$2.5B
Recreation, culture and religion, in detail, as a share of it
Recreation, culture and religion, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Cultural services41.1$1.03B
Broadcasting and publishing services29.7$742.42M
Recreational and sporting services26.5$662.21M
Religious and other community services2$50.76M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$10.82M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.3$6.28M
Defence$909.97M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence83.2$757.25M
Foreign military aid7.7$70.25M
Defence n.e.c.6.1$55.09M
Civil defence3$27.38M
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2024: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2024: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth44.4$71.68B
Taxes on sales, production and imports24$38.7B
Social contributions15.4$24.86B
Capital transfers and taxes received10.9$17.56B
Sales, fees and charges3.2$5.21B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.4$2.3B
Other transfers received0.7$1.13B
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$71.68B
Taxes on income and wealth, in detail, as a share of it
Taxes on income and wealth, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income98.5$70.62B
Other taxes on wealth and income1.5$1.06B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$38.7B
Taxes on sales, production and imports, in detail, as a share of it
Taxes on sales, production and imports, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Value added tax61.4$23.75B
Not broken down, or fitting no category38.6$14.95B

Over the years

38.3 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99538.4 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99637.5 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99736.3 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99836 % of GDPRevenue · 1,99935.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00033.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00132.4 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00233 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00334.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00434.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00536.4 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00636 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00734.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00833 % of GDPRevenue · 2,00932.8 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01033.4 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01133.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01233.6 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01333.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01426.1 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01526.7 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01625 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01724.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01824.3 % of GDPRevenue · 2,01921.9 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02022.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02122.2 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02223.8 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02326.5 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02424 % of GDPRevenue · 2,02540.4 % of GDPSpending · 1,99538.6 % of GDPSpending · 1,99636.1 % of GDPSpending · 1,99734.2 % of GDPSpending · 1,99832.5 % of GDPSpending · 1,99930.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,00032.2 % of GDPSpending · 2,00132.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,00232.7 % of GDPSpending · 2,00332.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,00433 % of GDPSpending · 2,00533.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,00635.7 % of GDPSpending · 2,00741.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,00846.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,00965 % of GDPSpending · 2,01046.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01142.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,01239.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01336.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,01428.1 % of GDPSpending · 2,01527.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,01625.3 % of GDPSpending · 2,01724.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,01823.9 % of GDPSpending · 2,01926.8 % of GDPSpending · 2,02023.5 % of GDPSpending · 2,02120.6 % of GDPSpending · 2,02222.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,02322.4 % of GDPSpending · 2,024
Ireland: revenue and spending, 1995–2025
Ireland: revenue and spending, 1995–2025
PeriodRevenue (% of GDP)Spending (% of GDP)
1,99538.340.4
1,99638.438.6
1,99737.536.1
1,99836.334.2
1,9993632.5
2,00035.530.6
2,00133.232.2
2,00232.432.9
2,0033332.7
2,00434.132.8
2,00534.633
2,00636.433.6
2,0073635.7
2,00834.641.6
2,0093346.9
2,01032.865
2,01133.446.9
2,01233.942.3
2,01333.639.9
2,01433.136.6
2,01526.128.1
2,01626.727.5
2,0172525.3
2,01824.924.8
2,01924.323.9
2,02021.926.8
2,02122.223.5
2,02222.220.6
2,02323.822.4
2,02426.522.4
2,02524
Where these figures come from

Series read from Eurostat, government finance statistics (gov_10a_main, gov_10a_exp) on 2026-11-11.

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