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, 2017

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 2017's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$87.03B · 25% of GDP
Spending
$88.06B · 25.3% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$1.04B · -0.3% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2017: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2017: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36.9$32.5B
Health18.9$16.67B
General public services13.6$11.97B
Education12.3$10.79B
Economic affairs8.5$7.47B
Public order and safety3.8$3.32B
Recreation, culture and religion2$1.72B
Housing and community amenities1.9$1.7B
Environmental protection1.3$1.13B
Defence0.9$790.9M
Social protection$32.5B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age37$12.02B
Family and children21.1$6.86B
Sickness and disability13$4.23B
Unemployment13$4.22B
Housing7.8$2.52B
Survivors4.4$1.44B
Social exclusion n.e.c.2.3$749.44M
Social protection n.e.c.1.3$436.4M
R&D Social protection0$11.52M
Health$16.67B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services44.2$7.37B
Outpatient services35.1$5.86B
Medical products, appliances and equipment15.3$2.55B
Health n.e.c.2.5$424.54M
Public health services2.5$420.81M
R&D Health0.3$49.59M
General public services$11.97B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions56.1$6.72B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs29.8$3.57B
General services5.7$687.54M
Foreign economic aid5.1$607.67M
Basic research2.8$336.09M
General public services n.e.c.0.4$50.84M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Education$10.79B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education41.3$4.46B
Secondary education31.6$3.41B
Tertiary education16.6$1.79B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.5$594.56M
Subsidiary services to education2.1$229.1M
Education n.e.c.1.4$153.98M
Education not definable by level1.4$151.61M
R&D Education0.1$7M
Economic affairs$7.47B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport47.4$3.54B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs14.9$1.11B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting11.6$870.55M
Fuel and energy8.1$605.86M
R&D Economic affairs7.5$557.17M
Economic affairs n.e.c.5.9$443.18M
Other industries3.7$274.29M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.9$142.91M
Communication-1.1-$79.3M
Public order and safety$3.32B
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 services54$1.79B
Law courts18.1$601.68M
Prisons13.2$436.97M
Fire-protection services10.2$338.57M
Public order and safety n.e.c.4.5$149.12M
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 services38.3$657.6M
Broadcasting and publishing services36$619.3M
Recreational and sporting services23.2$399.24M
Religious and other community services2$33.78M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$7.57M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.1$903.76K
Housing and community amenities$1.7B
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 supply52.6$892.12M
Housing development23.5$399.01M
Community development17.8$302.31M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.7$79.3M
Street lighting1.5$24.63M
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 management39.8$451.54M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape26.9$305.13M
Waste management12.5$141.44M
Environmental protection n.e.c.11.6$131.72M
Pollution abatement7.3$83.26M
R&D Environmental protection1.9$21.58M
Defence$790.9M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence83.9$663.59M
Foreign military aid6.9$54.68M
Defence n.e.c.6$47.56M
Civil defence3.2$25.08M
R&D Defence0$0

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2017: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2017: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth39.8$34.59B
Taxes on sales, production and imports32$27.85B
Social contributions17.9$15.58B
Sales, fees and charges6$5.24B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)2.3$2.01B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.2$1.01B
Other transfers received0.9$745.49M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$34.59B
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 income96.7$33.45B
Other taxes on wealth and income3.3$1.15B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$27.85B
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$14.75B
Not broken down, or fitting no category47$13.09B

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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