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, 2008

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 2008's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$95.11B · 34.6% of GDP
Spending
$114.47B · 41.6% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$19.37B · -7% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2008: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2008: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36.4$41.68B
Health16.6$19.05B
Economic affairs12.7$14.51B
Education11.3$12.97B
General public services9.2$10.52B
Public order and safety4.2$4.79B
Housing and community amenities4$4.53B
Environmental protection2.6$2.95B
Recreation, culture and religion2$2.26B
Defence1.1$1.22B
Social protection$41.68B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age34.5$14.4B
Sickness and disability22.9$9.54B
Unemployment11.8$4.94B
Family and children9.2$3.82B
Survivors8.4$3.51B
Housing7.2$2.98B
Social exclusion n.e.c.4.4$1.83B
Social protection n.e.c.1.5$644.36M
R&D Social protection0$12.21M
Health$19.05B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Outpatient services56.2$10.71B
Hospital services31.5$6.01B
Medical products, appliances and equipment6.6$1.26B
Public health services2.9$558.32M
Health n.e.c.2.4$461.1M
R&D Health0.3$57.95M
Economic affairs$14.51B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport54.4$7.89B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting20.8$3.02B
R&D Economic affairs6.1$885.57M
Other industries5$732.31M
General economic, commercial and labour affairs4.8$700.98M
Fuel and energy3.7$537.58M
Economic affairs n.e.c.2.5$356.08M
Mining, manufacturing and construction2$285.78M
Communication0.7$98.84M
Education$12.97B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education39$5.06B
Secondary education36.4$4.72B
Tertiary education18.5$2.4B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education2.2$285.04M
Education not definable by level1.9$251.65M
Education n.e.c.1.4$176.2M
Subsidiary services to education0.5$68.83M
R&D Education0.1$9.41M
General public services$10.52B
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 affairs39.8$4.19B
Public debt transactions34.5$3.63B
Foreign economic aid11.1$1.17B
General services9$942.49M
Basic research5.4$570.23M
General public services n.e.c.0.2$21.77M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Public order and safety$4.79B
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 services59.2$2.83B
Law courts15.7$751.43M
Prisons12.8$613.03M
Fire-protection services10.3$491.54M
Public order and safety n.e.c.2$97.37M
R&D Public order and safety0$0
Housing and community amenities$4.53B
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
Housing and community amenities, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Housing development61.9$2.8B
Water supply24$1.09B
Community development13$589.79M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.1.1$50.89M
Street lighting0$0
R&D Housing and community amenities0$0
Environmental protection$2.95B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management73.6$2.17B
Protection of biodiversity and landscape17.8$523.75M
Pollution abatement4.7$137.37M
Environmental protection n.e.c.2.6$76.33M
Waste management0.8$22.5M
R&D Environmental protection0.6$17.21M
Recreation, culture and religion$2.26B
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 services49.7$1.12B
Recreational and sporting services37.8$854.83M
Broadcasting and publishing services6.4$144.58M
Religious and other community services4.7$106.49M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.1.4$31.33M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0$0
Defence$1.22B
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence68.8$841M
Foreign military aid24.2$295.78M
Defence n.e.c.7$85.01M
Civil defence0.1$1.18M
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2008: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2008: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth35.5$33.78B
Taxes on sales, production and imports34.9$33.18B
Social contributions17$16.19B
Sales, fees and charges5.4$5.11B
Capital transfers and taxes received3.6$3.41B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)3.4$3.19B
Other transfers received0.3$250.77M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$33.78B
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 income96.5$32.6B
Other taxes on wealth and income3.5$1.18B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$33.18B
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 tax58$19.24B
Not broken down, or fitting no category42$13.93B

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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