Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland

Ireland: Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in was 48.3% in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)
48.3%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
109th
of 154 countries
All-time high
52.0%
in 2020
All-time low
48.3%
in 2022
Years of data
12
1999–2022

Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland, 1999–2022

02040601999201020221999: 48.7 %2009: 50.9 %2013: 48.7 %2014: 48.7 %2015: 49 %2016: 49.2 %2017: 49 %2018: 49.1 %2019: 51.8 %2020: 52 %2021: 48.8 %2022: 48.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 48.3% for percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland peaked at 52.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 48.3%, in 2022.

Ireland ranks 109th of 154 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in public institutions, female (%) in Ireland, 1999 to 2022.
Year % Change
1999 48.7%
2009 50.9% +4.4%
2013 48.7% -4.3%
2014 48.7% +0.0%
2015 49.0% +0.6%
2016 49.2% +0.4%
2017 49.0% -0.2%
2018 49.1% +0.2%
2019 51.8% +5.4%
2020 52.0% +0.4%
2021 48.8% -6.1%
2022 48.3% -1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 48.7% 48.7% 48.7% 1
2000s 50.9% 50.9% 50.9% 1
2010s 49.4% 48.7% 51.8% 7
2020s 49.7% 48.3% 52.0% 3

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 106 Lithuania 48.3% compare
  2. 107 Spain 48.3% compare
  3. 108 Germany 48.3% compare
  4. 110 Denmark 48.2% compare
  5. 111 Republic of Moldova 48.2% compare
  6. 112 Iran, Islamic Republic of 48.2% compare

See the full ranking of 154 places →

More education data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland?
Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland was 48.3% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 52.0% in 2020.
What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 48.3% in 2022.
How does Ireland rank for percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in?
Ireland ranks 109th out of 154 countries with data for 2022.
Is percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in public institutions, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-enrolment-in-early-childhood-education-programmes-in-public-institutions-2/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of enrolment in early childhood education programmes in public institutions, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
154 places, 2,008 data points, 1998–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release