Government expenditure on primary education, constant US$ in Ireland
Ireland: Government expenditure on primary education, constant US$ was 5,444 millions in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
5,444 millions
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
29th
of 148 countries
All-time high
5,444 millions
in 2021
All-time low
696.33 millions
in 1971
Years of data
49
1971–2021
Government expenditure on primary education, constant US$ in Ireland, 1971–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in millions.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ in Ireland is 5,444 millions, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ in Ireland peaked at 5,444 millions in 2021 and was at its lowest, 696.33 millions, in 1971.
Ireland ranks 29th of 148 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government expenditure on primary education, constant US$ in Ireland, year by year
| Year | millions | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 696.33 millions | — |
| 1972 | 711.22 millions | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 704.9 millions | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 755.92 millions | +7.2% |
| 1976 | 846.7 millions | +12.0% |
| 1977 | 1,035 millions | +22.2% |
| 1978 | 1,147 millions | +10.8% |
| 1979 | 1,216 millions | +6.0% |
| 1980 | 1,262 millions | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 1,415 millions | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 1,374 millions | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 1,052 millions | -23.5% |
| 1984 | 1,109 millions | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 1,131 millions | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 1,135 millions | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 1,227 millions | +8.1% |
| 1988 | 1,171 millions | -4.5% |
| 1989 | 1,179 millions | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 1,227 millions | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 1,301 millions | +6.0% |
| 1992 | 1,381 millions | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 1,394 millions | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 1,446 millions | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 1,442 millions | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 1,457 millions | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 2,132 millions | +46.3% |
| 1999 | 2,197 millions | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 2,344 millions | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 2,529 millions | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 2,738 millions | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 3,037 millions | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 3,390 millions | +11.6% |
| 2005 | 3,628 millions | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 3,858 millions | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 4,362 millions | +13.0% |
| 2008 | 4,945 millions | +13.4% |
| 2009 | 5,264 millions | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 5,198 millions | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 5,096 millions | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 5,185 millions | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 4,771 millions | -8.0% |
| 2014 | 4,745 millions | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 4,580 millions | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 4,737 millions | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 4,463 millions | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 4,641 millions | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 4,803 millions | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 5,177 millions | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 5,444 millions | +5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 889 millions | 696.33 millions | 1,216 millions | 8 |
| 1980s | 1,205 millions | 1,052 millions | 1,415 millions | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,553 millions | 1,227 millions | 2,197 millions | 9 |
| 2000s | 3,610 millions | 2,344 millions | 5,264 millions | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,822 millions | 4,463 millions | 5,198 millions | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,311 millions | 5,177 millions | 5,444 millions | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 42,162 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ in Ireland?
- Government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ in Ireland was 5,444 millions in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5,444 millions in 2021.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 696.33 millions in 1971.
- How does Ireland rank for government expenditure on primary education, constant us$?
- Ireland ranks 29th out of 148 countries with data for 2021.
- Is government expenditure on primary education, constant us$ rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. 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 primary education, constant US$ (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release