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, 2018

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 2018's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$98.31B · 24.9% of GDP
Spending
$97.95B · 24.8% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
$358.32M · 0.1% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2018: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2018: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36$35.26B
Health19$18.59B
General public services13.2$12.89B
Education12.2$11.91B
Economic affairs9.4$9.16B
Public order and safety3.7$3.67B
Housing and community amenities2.3$2.26B
Recreation, culture and religion2$2B
Environmental protection1.3$1.27B
Defence1$941.26M
Social protection$35.26B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age37.8$13.32B
Family and children21.5$7.57B
Sickness and disability13.3$4.71B
Unemployment11$3.86B
Housing8.4$2.97B
Survivors4.5$1.59B
Social exclusion n.e.c.2.4$846.3M
Social protection n.e.c.1.1$384.3M
R&D Social protection0$15.47M
Health$18.59B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services44.6$8.3B
Outpatient services35.3$6.56B
Medical products, appliances and equipment14.7$2.73B
Health n.e.c.2.6$477.71M
Public health services2.4$454.21M
R&D Health0.3$61.53M
General public services$12.89B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions49$6.32B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs35.6$4.59B
General services6.3$816.54M
Foreign economic aid5.3$678.13M
Basic research3.3$430.24M
General public services n.e.c.0.5$59.88M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Education$11.91B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education41.1$4.89B
Secondary education31.9$3.79B
Tertiary education16.5$1.96B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.5$659.47M
Subsidiary services to education2.1$254.03M
Education not definable by level1.5$172.78M
Education n.e.c.1.4$171.6M
R&D Education0.1$8.27M
Economic affairs$9.16B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport47.6$4.36B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs14.9$1.36B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting10.8$985.9M
Fuel and energy7.8$711.91M
R&D Economic affairs7.4$673.41M
Economic affairs n.e.c.5.7$522.95M
Other industries3.3$305.41M
Mining, manufacturing and construction2.1$188.96M
Communication0.6$53.85M
Public order and safety$3.67B
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 services54.4$2B
Law courts18.5$677.42M
Prisons13.3$488.93M
Fire-protection services10$365.52M
Public order and safety n.e.c.3.9$142.55M
R&D Public order and safety0$118.1K
Housing and community amenities$2.26B
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 supply47.7$1.08B
Housing development25.3$572.08M
Community development21.8$491.18M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4$90.11M
Street lighting1.2$26.69M
R&D Housing and community amenities0$118.1K
Recreation, culture and religion$2B
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 services37.8$755.72M
Broadcasting and publishing services34.1$680.85M
Recreational and sporting services25.7$513.62M
Religious and other community services1.9$37.2M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$8.27M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.1$2.72M
Environmental protection$1.27B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management39$493.42M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape27.7$350.4M
Waste management12.1$153.29M
Environmental protection n.e.c.11.8$149.63M
Pollution abatement7.5$94.36M
R&D Environmental protection1.9$24.68M
Defence$941.26M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence85.1$800.72M
Foreign military aid6.6$62.12M
Defence n.e.c.5.4$50.9M
Civil defence2.9$26.93M
R&D Defence0.1$708.6K

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2018: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2018: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth41.2$40.48B
Taxes on sales, production and imports30.9$30.37B
Social contributions17.8$17.51B
Sales, fees and charges5.9$5.82B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.8$1.81B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.3$1.29B
Other transfers received1$1.02B
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$40.48B
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 income97.1$39.3B
Other taxes on wealth and income2.9$1.18B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$30.37B
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$16.71B
Not broken down, or fitting no category45$13.66B

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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