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, 2015

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 2015's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$78.84B · 26.1% of GDP
Spending
$84.8B · 28.1% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$5.97B · -2% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2015: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2015: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36$30.5B
Health17.7$14.97B
General public services15$12.68B
Education11.2$9.52B
Economic affairs10.5$8.91B
Public order and safety3.5$2.96B
Housing and community amenities2$1.73B
Recreation, culture and religion1.9$1.61B
Environmental protection1.3$1.11B
Defence0.9$797.29M
Social protection$30.5B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age35.1$10.71B
Family and children21.3$6.48B
Unemployment17.4$5.32B
Sickness and disability11.5$3.5B
Housing5.9$1.81B
Survivors4.3$1.3B
Social exclusion n.e.c.3.1$942.74M
Social protection n.e.c.1.4$414.51M
R&D Social protection0$10.76M
Health$14.97B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services44.6$6.68B
Outpatient services34.5$5.17B
Medical products, appliances and equipment15.3$2.29B
Health n.e.c.2.6$388.33M
Public health services2.6$382.33M
R&D Health0.4$64.68M
General public services$12.68B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions61$7.74B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs26.5$3.36B
General services5.2$660.49M
Foreign economic aid4.7$600.35M
Basic research2.3$287.14M
General public services n.e.c.0.3$36.28M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Education$9.52B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education41.2$3.92B
Secondary education30$2.85B
Tertiary education18.1$1.72B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.6$531.23M
Subsidiary services to education2.2$206.48M
Education n.e.c.1.5$141.57M
Education not definable by level1.4$136.47M
R&D Education0$4.55M
Economic affairs$8.91B
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 affairs37.7$3.36B
Transport31.8$2.83B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting9.3$826.13M
Fuel and energy6.4$568.73M
R&D Economic affairs5.3$469.1M
Economic affairs n.e.c.4.9$434.04M
Other industries3.1$278.6M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.2$107.51M
Communication0.4$36.28M
Public order and safety$2.96B
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 services52.6$1.56B
Law courts18.1$535.33M
Prisons14.4$426.05M
Fire-protection services10.5$310.66M
Public order and safety n.e.c.4.5$134.25M
R&D Public order and safety0$0
Housing and community amenities$1.73B
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 supply62.6$1.09B
Housing development20.6$356.59M
Community development11$191.17M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.5$77.22M
Street lighting1.4$23.52M
R&D Housing and community amenities0$0
Recreation, culture and religion$1.61B
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 services38.9$627.09M
Broadcasting and publishing services34.7$560.08M
Recreational and sporting services23.5$379.67M
Religious and other community services2.5$40.05M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$6.55M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0$665.7K
Environmental protection$1.11B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management41.7$462.99M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape29.1$323.53M
Waste management9.7$107.95M
Environmental protection n.e.c.9.5$105.62M
Pollution abatement8.4$93.42M
R&D Environmental protection1.5$17.2M
Defence$797.29M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence84.6$674.47M
Defence n.e.c.6.3$50.37M
Foreign military aid6.1$48.93M
Civil defence3$23.63M
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2015: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2015: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth39.2$30.91B
Taxes on sales, production and imports31.6$24.95B
Social contributions17.2$13.56B
Sales, fees and charges6.5$5.11B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)3.8$3.02B
Capital transfers and taxes received1$788.3M
Other transfers received0.6$500.05M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$30.91B
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 income95.5$29.51B
Other taxes on wealth and income4.5$1.4B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$24.95B
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 tax52.6$13.13B
Not broken down, or fitting no category47.4$11.82B

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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