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 regions on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.01 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.31 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.6528 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.5528 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.8957 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 130.04 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
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 regions 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.