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, 2009

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 2009's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$78.03B · 33% of GDP
Spending
$110.83B · 46.9% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$32.8B · -13.9% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2009: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2009: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection37.7$41.77B
Health16.8$18.63B
Economic affairs13.8$15.3B
Education10.2$11.3B
General public services9.9$10.95B
Public order and safety3.7$4.13B
Housing and community amenities2.7$3.04B
Environmental protection2.2$2.49B
Recreation, culture and religion2$2.23B
Defence0.9$986.12M
Social protection$41.77B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age35$14.61B
Sickness and disability21.3$8.89B
Unemployment15.1$6.33B
Family and children9.1$3.8B
Survivors8.4$3.5B
Housing5.2$2.17B
Social exclusion n.e.c.4.3$1.81B
Social protection n.e.c.1.5$625.01M
R&D Social protection0.1$39.05M
Health$18.63B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Outpatient services50.9$9.47B
Hospital services29.5$5.5B
Medical products, appliances and equipment10.5$1.95B
Health n.e.c.5.6$1.04B
Public health services3.3$611.34M
R&D Health0.3$58.3M
Economic affairs$15.3B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
General economic, commercial and labour affairs40.3$6.16B
Transport37.8$5.79B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting8.4$1.28B
R&D Economic affairs5.2$800.48M
Other industries3.8$584.84M
Economic affairs n.e.c.1.7$255.81M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.3$193.18M
Fuel and energy1$150.78M
Communication0.5$79.5M
Education$11.3B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education40.4$4.56B
Secondary education37$4.18B
Tertiary education16.8$1.9B
Education not definable by level2.1$242.42M
Post-secondary non-tertiary education1.8$205.45M
Education n.e.c.1.2$138.36M
Subsidiary services to education0.6$62.91M
R&D Education0.1$8.09M
General public services$10.95B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions43.8$4.79B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs39.8$4.36B
Foreign economic aid8.8$962.55M
Basic research4.7$514.26M
General services2.7$299.74M
General public services n.e.c.0.2$25.11M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Public order and safety$4.13B
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 services59.5$2.46B
Law courts15.1$622.5M
Prisons12.5$515.66M
Fire-protection services11.1$458.19M
Public order and safety n.e.c.1.9$76.57M
R&D Public order and safety0$0
Housing and community amenities$3.04B
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 development57.1$1.74B
Water supply29.9$908.99M
Community development10.7$324.71M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.2.3$69.32M
Street lighting0$0
R&D Housing and community amenities0$0
Environmental protection$2.49B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management69$1.72B
Protection of biodiversity and landscape21.5$535.88M
Pollution abatement5.7$142.27M
Environmental protection n.e.c.2.7$67.65M
R&D Environmental protection0.8$20.64M
Waste management0.2$5.3M
Recreation, culture and religion$2.23B
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 services41.8$933.54M
Broadcasting and publishing services29.9$667.83M
Recreational and sporting services20.3$453.31M
Religious and other community services6.9$153.15M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.1.1$24.13M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0$0
Defence$986.12M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence67.1$661.27M
Foreign military aid26.6$261.94M
Defence n.e.c.6.3$62.21M
Civil defence0.1$557.92K
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2009: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2009: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth35.9$28.03B
Taxes on sales, production and imports32.8$25.62B
Social contributions18.4$14.32B
Sales, fees and charges7.2$5.59B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)3.6$2.79B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.9$1.48B
Other transfers received0.3$198.34M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$28.03B
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 income95.1$26.66B
Other taxes on wealth and income4.9$1.36B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$25.62B
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 tax56.2$14.4B
Not broken down, or fitting no category43.8$11.22B

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.

Change it

Think this money should be raised or spent differently? Draft it as a proposal: a proposal is evidence of support, handed to whoever decides, never law.

Propose a change to this budgetCompare one function across countries →