Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland
Ireland: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 11.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland, 1990–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland is 11.4%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.5% on the previous year and up 37.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland peaked at 15.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1991.
That places Ireland 17th out of 104 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.8% | — |
| 1991 | 3.8% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 4.2% | +10.9% |
| 1993 | 4.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 4.5% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 5.2% | +14.1% |
| 1996 | 5.6% | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +6.3% |
| 2002 | 7.2% | +20.9% |
| 2003 | 9.1% | +25.7% |
| 2004 | 6.8% | -25.2% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 7.7% | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 7.3% | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 7.1% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 6.8% | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 7.7% | +14.1% |
| 2011 | 7.8% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 7.4% | -10.8% |
| 2015 | 6.8% | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 8.8% | +26.8% |
| 2018 | 11.3% | +28.4% |
| 2019 | 11.8% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 10.2% | -13.9% |
| 2021 | 15.1% | +48.4% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | -19.5% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | -6.5% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 11.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.6%, 1.3× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 11.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.2%, 1.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.7% | 3.8% | 6.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 8.5% | 6.8% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 10.2% | 15.1% | 4 |
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 participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland?
- Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland was 11.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 15.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1991.
- How does Ireland rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Ireland ranks 17th out of 104 countries with data for 2023.
- Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 25-54 years old, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release