Proportion of total government spending on essential … social in Ireland
Ireland: Proportion of total government spending on essential … social was 35.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in Ireland, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in Ireland is 35.5%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in Ireland peaked at 37.8% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2010.
That places Ireland 30th out of 128 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential … social in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.3% | — |
| 2001 | 32.0% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 33.1% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 33.5% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 33.4% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 35.7% | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 35.8% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 35.9% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 36.4% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 26.9% | -28.7% |
| 2011 | 33.8% | +25.6% |
| 2012 | 37.2% | +9.9% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 35.9% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 34.9% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 35.4% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 35.8% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 34.8% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 35.7% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 36.1% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 34.8% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 35.5% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 35.5% | +0.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 35.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 31.3%, 1.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 35.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 35.5%, 100% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of total government spending on essential … social in Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | -28.7% | 37.8% | 26.9% |
| 2011 | +25.6% | 26.9% | 33.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.5% | 31.3% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.7% | 26.9% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 34.8% | 36.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More poverty & inequality data for Ireland
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 8 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.6 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 7,325 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 3.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 21.9 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 21.9% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in Ireland?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in Ireland was 35.5% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services, social recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 37.8% in 2009.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services, social recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2010.
- How does Ireland rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services, social?
- Ireland ranks 30th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services, social rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social protection (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).