Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland

Ireland: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 548,873 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
548,873
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
108th
of 206 countries
All-time high
570,381
in 2020
All-time low
358,830
in 1997
Years of data
52
1971–2022

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland, 1971–2022

0200.0k400.0k600.0k197119962022

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

Ireland recorded 548,873 for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in 2022.

The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 5.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland peaked at 570,381 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 358,830, in 1997.

That places Ireland 108th out of 206 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland, 1971 to 2022.
Year Value Change
1971 399,700
1972 399,560 -0.0%
1973 403,700 +1.0%
1974 399,894 -0.9%
1975 402,219 +0.6%
1976 404,818 +0.6%
1977 406,432 +0.4%
1978 410,402 +1.0%
1979 414,624 +1.0%
1980 418,247 +0.9%
1981 419,998 +0.4%
1982 420,871 +0.2%
1983 421,539 +0.2%
1984 420,444 -0.3%
1985 420,665 +0.1%
1986 420,236 -0.1%
1987 422,150 +0.5%
1988 423,402 +0.3%
1989 423,662 +0.1%
1990 422,396 -0.3%
1991 416,747 -1.3%
1992 408,567 -2.0%
1993 402,226 -1.6%
1994 391,998 -2.5%
1995 380,983 -2.8%
1996 367,689 -3.5%
1997 358,830 -2.4%
1998 465,186 +29.6%
1999 456,564 -1.9%
2000 449,638 -1.5%
2001 443,617 -1.3%
2002 445,947 +0.5%
2003 447,618 +0.4%
2004 450,413 +0.6%
2005 454,060 +0.8%
2006 461,588 +1.7%
2007 475,836 +3.1%
2008 486,921 +2.3%
2009 498,838 +2.4%
2010 506,400 +1.5%
2011 511,466 +1.0%
2012 518,223 +1.3%
2013 527,768 +1.8%
2014 536,471 +1.6%
2015 544,856 +1.6%
2016 553,585 +1.6%
2017 559,151 +1.0%
2018 564,304 +0.9%
2019 568,495 +0.7%
2020 570,381 +0.3%
2021 557,157 -2.3%
2022 548,873 -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 404,594 399,560 414,624 9
1980s 421,121 418,247 423,662 10
1990s 407,119 358,830 465,186 10
2000s 461,448 443,617 498,838 10
2010s 539,072 506,400 568,495 10
2020s 558,804 548,873 570,381 3

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 105 Greece 578,574 compare
  2. 106 Liberia 569,741 compare
  3. 107 Switzerland 556,945 compare
  4. 109 Lebanon 533,550 compare
  5. 110 Palestine 514,700 compare
  6. 111 Somalia 464,607 compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland?
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland was 548,873 in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 570,381 in 2020.
What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 358,830 in 1997.
How does Ireland rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
Ireland ranks 108th out of 206 countries with data for 2022.
Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/ireland/

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How this figure is calculated

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 11,866 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.