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 75.8% 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
In 2023, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland stood at 75.8%. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Ireland peaked at 75.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 50.1%, in 2008.
Ireland ranks 16th of 110 countries on this measure, 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 | 55.9% | — |
| 1991 | 55.8% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 56.7% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 56.9% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 57.8% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 60.1% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 62.1% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 61.6% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 55.8% | -9.5% |
| 2003 | 62.4% | +11.8% |
| 2004 | 59.5% | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 58.1% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 59.7% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 50.2% | -15.9% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 52.4% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 55.7% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 58.8% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 60.4% | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 61.9% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 61.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 62.7% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 61.2% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 66.5% | +8.7% |
| 2018 | 68.9% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 70.3% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 70.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 75.6% | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 73.3% | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 75.8% | +3.4% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 75.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 72.6%, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 75.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 73.4%, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.4% | 55.8% | 62.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 56.0% | 50.1% | 62.4% | 8 |
| 2010s | 62.8% | 55.7% | 70.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.7% | 70.3% | 75.8% | 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 75.8% 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 75.8% 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 50.1% in 2008.
- How does Ireland rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Ireland ranks 16th 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 22.5%. 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, 15-24 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