Primary education, teachers in Ireland

Ireland: Primary education, teachers was 84.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
84.5%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
63rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
84.9%
in 2011
All-time low
64.9%
in 1976
Years of data
36
1976–2023

Primary education, teachers in Ireland, 1976–2023

0204060801976199920231976: 64.9 % female1977: 72.4 % female1978: 72.8 % female1979: 73 % female1980: 73.9 % female1981: 73.8 % female1982: 74.5 % female1983: 75.1 % female1984: 75.5 % female1985: 75.7 % female1986: 76 % female1987: 76.2 % female1988: 76.3 % female1989: 76.3 % female1990: 76.3 % female1991: 76.6 % female1992: 76.9 % female1993: 77 % female1994: 77.3 % female1995: 77.9 % female1996: 77.9 % female1997: 78.4 % female1998: 80.2 % female1999: 84.8 % female2004: 83.4 % female2005: 84.1 % female2006: 84.7 % female2007: 84 % female2008: 84.5 % female2009: 84.7 % female2010: 84.9 % female2011: 84.9 % female2012: 84.9 % female2021: 84.6 % female2022: 84.6 % female2023: 84.5 % female

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % female.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 84.5% for primary education, teachers in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, teachers in Ireland peaked at 84.9% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 64.9%, in 1976.

That places Ireland 63rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.

Primary education, teachers in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, teachers (% female) in Ireland, 1976 to 2023.
Year % female Change
1976 64.9%
1977 72.4% +11.5%
1978 72.8% +0.6%
1979 73.0% +0.3%
1980 73.9% +1.3%
1981 73.8% -0.2%
1982 74.5% +1.0%
1983 75.1% +0.9%
1984 75.5% +0.5%
1985 75.7% +0.3%
1986 76.0% +0.3%
1987 76.2% +0.3%
1988 76.3% +0.2%
1989 76.3% -0.0%
1990 76.3% -0.0%
1991 76.6% +0.4%
1992 76.9% +0.3%
1993 77.0% +0.2%
1994 77.3% +0.4%
1995 77.9% +0.9%
1996 77.9% -0.0%
1997 78.4% +0.7%
1998 80.2% +2.2%
1999 84.8% +5.7%
2004 83.4% -1.6%
2005 84.1% +0.9%
2006 84.7% +0.6%
2007 84.0% -0.7%
2008 84.5% +0.5%
2009 84.7% +0.2%
2010 84.9% +0.3%
2011 84.9% +0.0%
2012 84.9% -0.0%
2021 84.6% -0.4%
2022 84.6% -0.0%
2023 84.5% -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 70.7% 64.9% 73.0% 4
1980s 75.3% 73.8% 76.3% 10
1990s 78.3% 76.3% 84.8% 10
2000s 84.2% 83.4% 84.7% 6
2010s 84.9% 84.9% 84.9% 3
2020s 84.5% 84.5% 84.6% 3

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 60 Maldives 85.3% compare
  2. 61 Cayman Islands 84.8% compare
  3. 62 New Zealand 84.6% compare
  4. 64 Aruba 84.4% compare
  5. 65 Kiribati 84.3% compare
  6. 66 Cyprus 84.3% compare

See the full ranking of 245 places →

More education data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, teachers in Ireland?
Primary education, teachers in Ireland was 84.5% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest primary education, teachers recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 84.9% in 2011.
What is the lowest primary education, teachers recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 64.9% in 1976.
How does Ireland rank for primary education, teachers?
Ireland ranks 63rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
Is primary education, teachers rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, teachers (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary education, teachers in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-teachers-percent-female/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, teachers (% female)
Unit
% female
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
245 places, 8,480 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.