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, 2020

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 2020's average rate (Eurostat).

Revenue
$95.2B · 21.9% of GDP
Spending
$116.43B · 26.8% of GDP
Surplus (+) or deficit (−)
-$21.44B · -4.9% of GDP

What the money is spent on

Ireland, 2020: spending by function, as a share of all spending
Ireland, 2020: spending by function, as a share of all spending
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Social protection36.7$42.69B
Health20.4$23.7B
Economic affairs12.6$14.69B
Education11.3$13.16B
General public services9.7$11.24B
Public order and safety3.2$3.75B
Housing and community amenities2.3$2.65B
Recreation, culture and religion1.8$2.05B
Environmental protection1.3$1.55B
Defence0.8$954.99M
Social protection$42.69B
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
Social protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Old age33.3$14.23B
Unemployment23$9.82B
Family and children17.1$7.28B
Sickness and disability11.4$4.87B
Housing8.4$3.58B
Survivors4$1.7B
Social exclusion n.e.c.1.9$830.27M
Social protection n.e.c.0.9$364.59M
R&D Social protection0$15.99M
Health$23.7B
Health, in detail, as a share of it
Health, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Hospital services45.2$10.71B
Outpatient services34.3$8.12B
Medical products, appliances and equipment12.4$2.93B
Public health services5.5$1.3B
Health n.e.c.2.4$572.58M
R&D Health0.3$60.88M
Economic affairs$14.69B
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 affairs46.2$6.78B
Transport32$4.7B
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting7.8$1.14B
R&D Economic affairs3.9$573.73M
Other industries3.2$470.59M
Economic affairs n.e.c.2.7$391.66M
Fuel and energy2.6$376.93M
Mining, manufacturing and construction1.3$196.57M
Communication0.4$62.71M
Education$13.16B
Education, in detail, as a share of it
Education, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Pre-primary and primary education38.7$5.09B
Secondary education32.7$4.31B
Tertiary education17.7$2.33B
Post-secondary non-tertiary education5.4$707.94M
Subsidiary services to education2.1$281.67M
Education n.e.c.1.8$241.58M
Education not definable by level1.4$188.69M
R&D Education0.1$9.02M
General public services$11.24B
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
General public services, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs39.6$4.45B
Public debt transactions39.4$4.43B
General services11.1$1.25B
Foreign economic aid5.7$643.06M
Basic research3.6$406.39M
General public services n.e.c.0.6$63.05M
R&D General public services0$0
Transfers of a general character between different levels of government0$0
Public order and safety$3.75B
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 services54.6$2.05B
Law courts16.2$607.08M
Prisons14$525.07M
Fire-protection services10.9$409.02M
Public order and safety n.e.c.4.3$160.25M
R&D Public order and safety0$228.44K
Housing and community amenities$2.65B
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 supply45.3$1.2B
Housing development31.1$822.04M
Community development18.2$482.81M
Housing and community amenities n.e.c.4.2$112.39M
Street lighting1.1$29.13M
R&D Housing and community amenities0.1$1.94M
Recreation, culture and religion$2.05B
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$778.41M
Broadcasting and publishing services33.5$686.8M
Recreational and sporting services25.7$527.81M
Religious and other community services2.2$46.14M
Recreation, culture and religion n.e.c.0.4$8.91M
R&D Recreation, culture and religion0.2$4.68M
Environmental protection$1.55B
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
Environmental protection, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Waste water management53.4$825.24M
Pollution abatement16.2$249.57M
Environmental protection n.e.c.10.5$162.42M
Waste management10.2$158.19M
Protection of biodiversity and landscape7.9$122.67M
R&D Environmental protection1.8$27.18M
Defence$954.99M
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
Defence, in detail, as a share of it
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Military defence84.3$805.14M
Foreign military aid7.2$69.22M
Defence n.e.c.5.6$53.45M
Civil defence2.8$26.38M
R&D Defence0.1$799.54K

Where the money comes from

Ireland, 2020: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
Ireland, 2020: revenue by kind, as a share of all revenue
RowValue (%)ShareNote
Taxes on income and wealth44.7$42.6B
Taxes on sales, production and imports28.5$27.12B
Social contributions18.5$17.6B
Sales, fees and charges4.7$4.52B
Income from property (interest, dividends, rent)1.3$1.27B
Capital transfers and taxes received1.3$1.24B
Other transfers received0.9$862.13M
Subsidies received0$0
Taxes on income and wealth$42.6B
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 income97.4$41.5B
Other taxes on wealth and income2.6$1.1B
Taxes on sales, production and imports$27.12B
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$14.57B
Not broken down, or fitting no category46.3$12.55B

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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