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, 2016

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 2016's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$81.71B · 26.7% of GDP
Spending
$84.04B · 27.5% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$2.4B · -0.8% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2016: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2016: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36.4$30.57B
Health18.6$15.61B
General public services14.4$12.07B
Education11.9$9.97B
Economic affairs8.8$7.38B
Public order and safety3.7$3.08B
Recreation, culture and religion2$1.72B
Housing and community amenities2$1.69B
Environmental protection1.3$1.13B
Defence1$817.45M
Social protection$30.57B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age35.9$10.96B
Family and children21.4$6.53B
Unemployment15.5$4.75B
Sickness and disability11.6$3.55B
Housing6.8$2.08B
Survivors4.3$1.33B
Social exclusion n.e.c.3.1$954.04M
Social protection n.e.c.1.4$420.73M
R&D Social protection0$10.96M
Health$15.61B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services44.3$6.92B
Outpatient services35$5.47B
Medical products, appliances and equipment15.3$2.39B
Health n.e.c.2.6$407.45M
Public health services2.4$380.66M
R&D Health0.3$45.38M
General public services$12.07B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions57.9$6.98B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs29.5$3.56B
General services5.2$627.17M
Foreign economic aid4.4$526M
Basic research2.8$338.05M
General public services n.e.c.0.3$38.85M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Education$9.97B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education40.8$4.06B
Secondary education31.6$3.15B
Tertiary education17$1.69B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.6$554.56M
Subsidiary services to education2.2$216.51M
Education n.e.c.1.4$143.23M
Education not definable by level1.4$142.9M
R&D Education0.1$6.53M
Economic affairs$7.38B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport48.1$3.55B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs13.5$993.44M
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting11.4$841.47M
Fuel and energy8.1$597.06M
R&D Economic affairs7.1$525.67M
Economic affairs n.e.c.5.8$424.72M
Other industries3.7$270.97M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.9$140.35M
Communication0.5$37.41M
Public order and safety$3.08B
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 services53$1.63B
Law courts18.1$556M
Prisons13.7$420.07M
Fire-protection services10.8$331.63M
Public order and safety n.e.c.4.5$137.59M
R&D Public order and safety0$0
Recreation, culture and religion$1.72B
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$667.57M
Broadcasting and publishing services34.3$588.43M
Recreational and sporting services24.6$422.06M
Religious and other community services1.8$31.21M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$7.53M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0$774.83K
Housing and community amenities$1.69B
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 supply55.6$941.31M
Housing development20.8$352.33M
Community development17.7$298.97M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.5$76.6M
Street lighting1.4$23.91M
R&D Housing and community amenities0$0
Environmental protection$1.13B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management43$484.93M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape27.3$307.94M
Waste management10.2$114.9M
Environmental protection n.e.c.10$112.9M
Pollution abatement7.8$88.44M
R&D Environmental protection1.6$18.49M
Defence$817.45M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence85$694.47M
Foreign military aid6.3$51.36M
Defence n.e.c.5.8$47.15M
Civil defence3$24.46M
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2016: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2016: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth39.2$32.03B
Taxes on sales, production and imports31.8$25.98B
Social contributions17.7$14.45B
Sales, fees and charges6.3$5.11B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)2.5$2.02B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.9$1.56B
Other transfers received0.7$566.84M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$32.03B
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 income96.4$30.88B
Other taxes on wealth and income3.6$1.15B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$25.98B
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 tax53.7$13.95B
Not broken down, or fitting no category46.3$12.03B

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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