What is rule of law index in Ireland?

Rule of law index in Ireland was 0.983 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Ireland?

The highest recorded value was 0.984 in 2018.

What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Ireland?

The lowest recorded value was 0.673 in 1789.

How does Ireland rank for rule of law index?

Ireland ranks 10th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is rule of law index rising or falling in Ireland?

Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Ireland data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Rule of Law Index in Ireland

Name: Rule of Law Index in Ireland
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Ireland: Rule of Law Index was 0.983 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.983

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

10th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.984

in 2018

All-time low

0.673

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Rule of Law Index in Ireland, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 0.983 for rule of law index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law index in Ireland peaked at 0.984 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.673, in 1789.

That places Ireland 10th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Rule of Law Index in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Rule of Law Index in Ireland, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.673	—
1790	0.673	+0.0%
1791	0.673	+0.0%
1792	0.673	+0.0%
1793	0.673	+0.0%
1794	0.673	+0.0%
1795	0.673	+0.0%
1796	0.673	+0.0%
1797	0.673	+0.0%
1798	0.673	+0.0%
1799	0.673	+0.0%
1800	0.673	+0.0%
1801	0.673	+0.0%
1802	0.673	+0.0%
1803	0.673	+0.0%
1804	0.673	+0.0%
1805	0.673	+0.0%
1806	0.673	+0.0%
1807	0.673	+0.0%
1808	0.673	+0.0%
1809	0.673	+0.0%
1810	0.673	+0.0%
1811	0.673	+0.0%
1812	0.673	+0.0%
1813	0.673	+0.0%
1814	0.673	+0.0%
1815	0.673	+0.0%
1816	0.673	+0.0%
1817	0.673	+0.0%
1818	0.673	+0.0%
1819	0.673	+0.0%
1820	0.781	+16.0%
1821	0.781	+0.0%
1822	0.781	+0.0%
1823	0.781	+0.0%
1824	0.781	+0.0%
1825	0.781	+0.0%
1826	0.781	+0.0%
1827	0.781	+0.0%
1828	0.781	+0.0%
1829	0.781	+0.0%
1830	0.798	+2.2%
1831	0.798	+0.0%
1832	0.798	+0.0%
1833	0.822	+3.0%
1834	0.822	+0.0%
1835	0.822	+0.0%
1836	0.822	+0.0%
1837	0.822	+0.0%
1838	0.822	+0.0%
1839	0.822	+0.0%
1840	0.822	+0.0%
1841	0.822	+0.0%
1842	0.822	+0.0%
1843	0.822	+0.0%
1844	0.822	+0.0%
1845	0.822	+0.0%
1846	0.822	+0.0%
1847	0.822	+0.0%
1848	0.822	+0.0%
1849	0.822	+0.0%
1850	0.822	+0.0%
1851	0.866	+5.4%
1852	0.866	+0.0%
1853	0.866	+0.0%
1854	0.866	+0.0%
1855	0.866	+0.0%
1856	0.866	+0.0%
1857	0.866	+0.0%
1858	0.866	+0.0%
1859	0.866	+0.0%
1860	0.866	+0.0%
1861	0.877	+1.3%
1862	0.877	+0.0%
1863	0.877	+0.0%
1864	0.877	+0.0%
1865	0.877	+0.0%
1866	0.877	+0.0%
1867	0.877	+0.0%
1868	0.877	+0.0%
1869	0.877	+0.0%
1870	0.937	+6.8%
1871	0.937	+0.0%
1872	0.937	+0.0%
1873	0.937	+0.0%
1874	0.937	+0.0%
1875	0.937	+0.0%
1876	0.937	+0.0%
1877	0.937	+0.0%
1878	0.937	+0.0%
1879	0.937	+0.0%
1880	0.937	+0.0%
1881	0.937	+0.0%
1882	0.937	+0.0%
1883	0.954	+1.8%
1884	0.954	+0.0%
1885	0.954	+0.0%
1886	0.954	+0.0%
1887	0.954	+0.0%
1888	0.954	+0.0%
1889	0.954	+0.0%
1890	0.954	+0.0%
1891	0.954	+0.0%
1892	0.954	+0.0%
1893	0.954	+0.0%
1894	0.954	+0.0%
1895	0.954	+0.0%
1896	0.954	+0.0%
1897	0.954	+0.0%
1898	0.954	+0.0%
1899	0.954	+0.0%
1900	0.963	+0.9%
1901	0.963	+0.0%
1902	0.963	+0.0%
1903	0.963	+0.0%
1904	0.963	+0.0%
1905	0.963	+0.0%
1906	0.963	+0.0%
1907	0.963	+0.0%
1908	0.963	+0.0%
1909	0.963	+0.0%
1910	0.963	+0.0%
1911	0.963	+0.0%
1912	0.964	+0.1%
1913	0.964	+0.0%
1914	0.96	-0.4%
1915	0.96	+0.0%
1916	0.958	-0.2%
1917	0.962	+0.4%
1918	0.962	+0.0%
1919	0.907	-5.7%
1920	0.907	+0.0%
1921	0.91	+0.3%
1922	0.901	-1.0%
1923	0.912	+1.2%
1924	0.944	+3.5%
1925	0.951	+0.7%
1926	0.957	+0.6%
1927	0.957	+0.0%
1928	0.957	+0.0%
1929	0.962	+0.5%
1930	0.962	+0.0%
1931	0.962	+0.0%
1932	0.962	+0.0%
1933	0.958	-0.4%
1934	0.958	+0.0%
1935	0.96	+0.2%
1936	0.96	+0.0%
1937	0.96	+0.0%
1938	0.958	-0.2%
1939	0.958	+0.0%
1940	0.958	+0.0%
1941	0.958	+0.0%
1942	0.958	+0.0%
1943	0.958	+0.0%
1944	0.958	+0.0%
1945	0.958	+0.0%
1946	0.958	+0.0%
1947	0.958	+0.0%
1948	0.953	-0.5%
1949	0.956	+0.3%
1950	0.964	+0.8%
1951	0.959	-0.5%
1952	0.962	+0.3%
1953	0.962	+0.0%
1954	0.962	+0.0%
1955	0.962	+0.0%
1956	0.962	+0.0%
1957	0.962	+0.0%
1958	0.962	+0.0%
1959	0.961	-0.1%
1960	0.961	+0.0%
1961	0.961	+0.0%
1962	0.961	+0.0%
1963	0.961	+0.0%
1964	0.96	-0.1%
1965	0.96	+0.0%
1966	0.958	-0.2%
1967	0.956	-0.2%
1968	0.956	+0.0%
1969	0.956	+0.0%
1970	0.956	+0.0%
1971	0.956	+0.0%
1972	0.956	+0.0%
1973	0.956	+0.0%
1974	0.956	+0.0%
1975	0.956	+0.0%
1976	0.956	+0.0%
1977	0.956	+0.0%
1978	0.956	+0.0%
1979	0.953	-0.3%
1980	0.95	-0.3%
1981	0.954	+0.4%
1982	0.948	-0.6%
1983	0.95	+0.2%
1984	0.95	+0.0%
1985	0.95	+0.0%
1986	0.95	+0.0%
1987	0.951	+0.1%
1988	0.953	+0.2%
1989	0.953	+0.0%
1990	0.95	-0.3%
1991	0.951	+0.1%
1992	0.955	+0.4%
1993	0.955	+0.0%
1994	0.955	+0.0%
1995	0.955	+0.0%
1996	0.962	+0.7%
1997	0.962	+0.0%
1998	0.966	+0.4%
1999	0.967	+0.1%
2000	0.968	+0.1%
2001	0.968	+0.0%
2002	0.968	+0.0%
2003	0.968	+0.0%
2004	0.968	+0.0%
2005	0.968	+0.0%
2006	0.968	+0.0%
2007	0.968	+0.0%
2008	0.969	+0.1%
2009	0.972	+0.3%
2010	0.972	+0.0%
2011	0.976	+0.4%
2012	0.977	+0.1%
2013	0.978	+0.1%
2014	0.978	+0.0%
2015	0.978	+0.0%
2016	0.978	+0.0%
2017	0.982	+0.4%
2018	0.984	+0.2%
2019	0.982	-0.2%
2020	0.982	+0.0%
2021	0.981	-0.1%
2022	0.982	+0.1%
2023	0.983	+0.1%
2024	0.983	+0.0%
2025	0.983	+0.0%

Ireland compared with similar countries

Ireland's 0.983 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.927, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Ireland's 0.983 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8365, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.673	0.673	0.673	1
1790s	0.673	0.673	0.673	10
1800s	0.673	0.673	0.673	10
1810s	0.673	0.673	0.673	10
1820s	0.781	0.781	0.781	10
1830s	0.8148	0.798	0.822	10
1840s	0.822	0.822	0.822	10
1850s	0.8616	0.822	0.866	10
1860s	0.8759	0.866	0.877	10
1870s	0.937	0.937	0.937	10
1880s	0.9489	0.937	0.954	10
1890s	0.954	0.954	0.954	10
1900s	0.963	0.963	0.963	10
1910s	0.9563	0.907	0.964	10
1920s	0.9358	0.901	0.962	10
1930s	0.9598	0.958	0.962	10
1940s	0.9573	0.953	0.958	10
1950s	0.9618	0.959	0.964	10
1960s	0.959	0.956	0.961	10
1970s	0.9557	0.953	0.956	10
1980s	0.9509	0.948	0.954	10
1990s	0.9578	0.95	0.967	10
2000s	0.9685	0.968	0.972	10
2010s	0.9785	0.972	0.984	10
2020s	0.9823	0.981	0.983	6

Countries ranked near Ireland

7 Norway 0.986 compare
8 Estonia 0.985 compare
8 Finland 0.985 compare
10 Iceland 0.983 compare
12 Luxembourg 0.979 compare
13 Seychelles 0.976 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

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)

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law index in Ireland?: Rule of law index in Ireland was 0.983 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Ireland?: The highest recorded value was 0.984 in 2018.
What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Ireland?: The lowest recorded value was 0.673 in 1789.
How does Ireland rank for rule of law index?: Ireland ranks 10th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is rule of law index rising or falling in Ireland?: Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Rule of Law Index in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rule-of-law-index/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator: Rule of Law Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,303 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the government complies with the law, courts are independent, laws transparent, justice accessible, corruption absent, and the bureaucracy is impartial.