Government spending by function in Ireland
Ireland: Government spending by function was 35.5% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Government spending by function in Ireland, 2007–2023
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, government spending by function in Ireland stood at 35.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending by function in Ireland peaked at 37.8% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2010.
Ireland ranks 22nd of 37 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Government spending by function in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 35.9% | — |
| 2008 | 36.4% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | +3.7% |
| 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 below the median for high income countries, which is 36.4%, 98% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 35.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.5%, 95% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government spending by function 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 | 36.7% | 35.9% | 37.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 34.7% | 26.9% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 34.8% | 36.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More reference data data for Ireland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0921 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5015 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending by function in Ireland?
- Government spending by function in Ireland was 35.5% in 2023, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending by function recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 37.8% in 2009.
- What is the lowest government spending by function recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2010.
- How does Ireland rank for government spending by function?
- Ireland ranks 22nd out of 37 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government spending by function rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending by function. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.