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 27.9% 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 27.9%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is up 11.9% on the previous year and up 57.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland peaked at 27.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.6%, in 2016.
That places Ireland 9th out of 110 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
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 | 16.9% | — |
| 1991 | 17.4% | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 17.6% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 17.7% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 18.2% | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 19.0% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 20.1% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 20.1% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 20.0% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 23.0% | +15.4% |
| 2004 | 20.1% | -12.5% |
| 2005 | 20.3% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 21.4% | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 18.3% | -14.5% |
| 2008 | 17.5% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 16.7% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 17.0% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 17.1% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 17.3% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 17.7% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 17.4% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 17.1% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 16.6% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | +22.1% |
| 2018 | 24.7% | +21.5% |
| 2019 | 25.0% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 23.5% | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 26.8% | +14.0% |
| 2022 | 24.9% | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 27.9% | +11.9% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 27.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 18.3%, 1.5× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 27.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 17.2%, 1.6× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.4% | 16.9% | 20.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 19.7% | 16.7% | 23.0% | 8 |
| 2010s | 19.0% | 16.6% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.8% | 23.5% | 27.9% | 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 27.9% 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 27.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.6% in 2016.
- How does Ireland rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Ireland ranks 9th out of 110 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 57.9%. 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, 15-64 years old, female (%). 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