Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Ireland
Ireland: Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP was 0.1% in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Ireland, 1971–2015
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Ireland is 0.1%, measured in 2015.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.6% on the previous year and up 2,497.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Ireland peaked at 0.5% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1971.
Ireland ranks 123rd of 169 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.0% | — |
| 1972 | 0.0% | — |
| 1973 | 0.0% | — |
| 1974 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.5% | — |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | -14.0% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -8.5% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -9.8% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -99.3% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | +16.8% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | +1423.2% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | +95.1% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -9.4% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -25.6% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 0.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.4%, 18% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 0.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.6%, 13% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +1423.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1998 | -99.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| 2010 | +95.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 8 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 6 |
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 pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Ireland?
- Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Ireland was 0.1% in 2015, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.5% in 1984.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1971.
- How does Ireland rank for government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp?
- Ireland ranks 123rd out of 169 countries with data for 2015.
- Is government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2,497.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release