Government expenditure on education, total in Ireland
Ireland: Government expenditure on education, total was 12.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on education, total in Ireland, 1981–2021
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 12.3% for government expenditure on education, total in 2021.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Ireland peaked at 14.8% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 9.3%, in 2010.
Ireland ranks 105th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 14.8% | — |
| 1982 | 13.1% | -11.6% |
| 1983 | 11.6% | -11.1% |
| 1984 | 11.3% | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 11.2% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 9.8% | -12.5% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | +7.9% |
| 1988 | 10.5% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 10.9% | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 11.7% | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 11.4% | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 11.8% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 12.0% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 12.8% | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 12.7% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 12.9% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 12.5% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 12.7% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 13.5% | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 12.7% | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 12.5% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 12.9% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 13.7% | +6.1% |
| 2005 | 13.7% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 13.2% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 13.1% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 9.3% | -29.0% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | +32.3% |
| 2012 | 13.5% | +9.6% |
| 2013 | 13.2% | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 13.0% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 12.9% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 13.3% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 13.5% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 12.0% | -11.5% |
| 2021 | 12.3% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.5% | 9.8% | 14.8% | 9 |
| 1990s | 12.3% | 11.4% | 12.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 13.2% | 12.5% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.8% | 9.3% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,531 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1053 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Ireland?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Ireland was 12.3% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 1981.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.3% in 2010.
- How does Ireland rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Ireland ranks 105th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.