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, 2012

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 2012's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$76.83B · 33.9% of GDP
Spending
$95.93B · 42.3% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$19.1B · -8.4% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2012: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2012: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection38.2$36.66B
Health17.6$16.86B
General public services15.4$14.81B
Education11.6$11.09B
Economic affairs7.7$7.43B
Public order and safety3.4$3.3B
Recreation, culture and religion1.9$1.81B
Housing and community amenities1.9$1.78B
Environmental protection1.4$1.37B
Defence0.9$826.77M
Social protection$36.66B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age33.3$12.22B
Family and children21.3$7.8B
Unemployment19.9$7.29B
Sickness and disability10.5$3.86B
Housing5.9$2.17B
Survivors4.1$1.51B
Social exclusion n.e.c.3.7$1.34B
Social protection n.e.c.1.3$471.14M
R&D Social protection0$2.18M
Health$16.86B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services45.8$7.72B
Outpatient services32.3$5.44B
Medical products, appliances and equipment16.6$2.79B
Public health services2.6$435.55M
Health n.e.c.2.4$397M
R&D Health0.4$72.33M
General public services$14.81B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions63.5$9.41B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs23.8$3.53B
Foreign economic aid4.6$682.61M
General services4.1$601.16M
Basic research3.7$540.77M
General public services n.e.c.0.3$48.57M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Education$11.09B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education38.7$4.29B
Secondary education31.2$3.46B
Tertiary education19.5$2.16B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.8$644.84M
Subsidiary services to education2.1$232.16M
Education n.e.c.1.5$165.1M
Education not definable by level1.2$130.66M
R&D Education0$3.21M
Economic affairs$7.43B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport49.9$3.7B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting13.5$999.96M
General economic, commercial and labour affairs10.9$809.68M
Fuel and energy7.9$587.92M
Economic affairs n.e.c.5.9$438.89M
R&D Economic affairs5.8$431.69M
Other industries4$299.62M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.8$130.66M
Communication0.3$25.05M
Public order and safety$3.3B
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 services52.1$1.72B
Law courts18$594.99M
Prisons14.6$481.03M
Fire-protection services10.8$356.53M
Public order and safety n.e.c.4.5$149.55M
R&D Public order and safety0$0
Recreation, culture and religion$1.81B
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 services40.6$735.16M
Broadcasting and publishing services35.4$640.09M
Recreational and sporting services22.2$401.24M
Religious and other community services1.4$26.21M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.3$6.3M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0$899.36K
Housing and community amenities$1.78B
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 supply44.6$793.36M
Housing development36.9$656.79M
Community development12.7$225.61M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.4$78.76M
Street lighting1.4$24.93M
R&D Housing and community amenities0$256.96K
Environmental protection$1.37B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management38$520.73M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape34$465.61M
Waste management9.7$132.72M
Environmental protection n.e.c.8.7$119.87M
Pollution abatement8.4$114.48M
R&D Environmental protection1.3$17.34M
Defence$826.77M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence84.4$697.52M
Defence n.e.c.6.4$52.81M
Foreign military aid5.9$48.95M
Civil defence3.3$27.49M
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2012: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2012: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth37.3$28.64B
Taxes on sales, production and imports30.7$23.59B
Social contributions18$13.87B
Sales, fees and charges7.4$5.72B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)5.1$3.94B
Capital transfers and taxes received1$750.32M
Other transfers received0.4$326.21M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$28.64B
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 income93.5$26.77B
Other taxes on wealth and income6.5$1.87B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$23.59B
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 tax55.7$13.13B
Not broken down, or fitting no category44.3$10.46B

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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