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, 2019

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 2019's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$98.85B · 24.3% of GDP
Spending
$97.2B · 23.9% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
$1.59B · 0.4% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2019: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2019: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36.8$35.75B
Health19.5$18.97B
Education12.4$12.08B
General public services11.6$11.26B
Economic affairs9.2$8.98B
Public order and safety3.6$3.51B
Housing and community amenities2.4$2.29B
Recreation, culture and religion2$1.99B
Environmental protection1.5$1.49B
Defence0.9$861.79M
Social protection$35.75B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age37.8$13.51B
Family and children20.8$7.44B
Sickness and disability14.1$5.03B
Housing10$3.56B
Unemployment9.4$3.38B
Survivors4.5$1.6B
Social exclusion n.e.c.2.4$841.3M
Social protection n.e.c.1.1$383.54M
R&D Social protection0$14.55M
Health$18.97B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services44.9$8.52B
Outpatient services35.9$6.8B
Medical products, appliances and equipment13.8$2.62B
Health n.e.c.2.7$517.32M
Public health services2.5$465.15M
R&D Health0.2$43.66M
Education$12.08B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education41.8$5.05B
Secondary education31.7$3.83B
Tertiary education15.7$1.89B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.6$673.6M
Subsidiary services to education2.2$263.31M
Education not definable by level1.5$182.14M
Education n.e.c.1.5$176.21M
R&D Education0.1$8.06M
General public services$11.26B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Public debt transactions46.4$5.23B
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs34.8$3.92B
General services10.4$1.18B
Foreign economic aid4.1$459.33M
Basic research3.8$429.44M
General public services n.e.c.0.5$58.33M
R&D General public services0$111.95K
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Economic affairs$8.98B
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
Economic affairs, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Transport50.1$4.5B
General economic, commercial and labour affairs16.6$1.49B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting11.5$1.03B
R&D Economic affairs7.3$656.03M
Other industries4.2$379.06M
Economic affairs n.e.c.4.2$377.61M
Fuel and energy3.9$353.43M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.7$156.84M
Communication0.5$41.53M
Public order and safety$3.51B
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 services54.7$1.92B
Law courts16.5$580.57M
Prisons14$492.69M
Fire-protection services10.6$372.35M
Public order and safety n.e.c.4.2$146.43M
R&D Public order and safety0$559.75K
Housing and community amenities$2.29B
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 supply50.3$1.15B
Housing development23.4$537.36M
Community development20.8$477.02M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.2$96.39M
Street lighting1.2$27.2M
R&D Housing and community amenities0$335.85K
Recreation, culture and religion$1.99B
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 services37.9$754.65M
Broadcasting and publishing services33.4$663.75M
Recreational and sporting services26.4$525.27M
Religious and other community services1.7$33.7M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$8.4M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.2$3.58M
Environmental protection$1.49B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management53.5$796.52M
Pollution abatement16$237.56M
Environmental protection n.e.c.10.3$153.71M
Waste management10.3$153.04M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape8.1$120.79M
R&D Environmental protection1.8$26.31M
Defence$861.79M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence83.4$718.5M
Foreign military aid7.8$66.83M
Defence n.e.c.5.9$50.83M
Civil defence2.9$24.96M
R&D Defence0.1$783.65K

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2019: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2019: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth41.4$40.91B
Taxes on sales, production and imports31.2$30.82B
Social contributions18.1$17.94B
Sales, fees and charges5.6$5.56B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.8$1.77B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.1$1.11B
Other transfers received0.7$737.97M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$40.91B
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 income97.3$39.81B
Other taxes on wealth and income2.7$1.1B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$30.82B
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 tax55.5$17.1B
Not broken down, or fitting no category44.5$13.73B

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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