Europe & Central Asia · EU · OECD
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
22.4%
-18.0 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
8.20%
-4.9 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
5.20%
-0.3 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
0.10%
-0.7 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
2.70%
-3.0 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
0.60%
-4.6 pts since 1995
Gross debt · 2025
34.8%
of GDP · -44 pts since 1995
Population · 2025
5.5m
52.0% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Ireland yet.
Welfare rose from 13.1% to 17.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 8.2% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 5.5% to 7.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 5.2% by 2024.
Defence fell from 0.8% to 0.1% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Education fell from 5.7% to 2.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Debt interest fell from 5.2% to 0.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Total spending rose from 40.4% to 65.0% of GDP between 1995 and 2010, then fell to 22.4% by 2024.
Gross debt rose from 78.5% to 119.0% of GDP between 1995 and 2012, then fell to 34.8% by 2025.
Population grew from 3.6 million in 1995 to 5.5 million in 2025; the UN projects 6.1 million by 2050.