Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy in Ireland
Ireland: Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy was 2.74 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy in Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Analysis
The most recent figure for economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Ireland is 2.74 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 32.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Ireland peaked at 2.74 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.31 million, in 1990.
That places Ireland 27th out of 29 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.31 million | — |
| 1991 | 1.33 million | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 1.35 million | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 1.38 million | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 1.42 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 1.46 million | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 1.51 million | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 1.56 million | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 1.62 million | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 1.68 million | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 1.74 million | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 1.80 million | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 1.86 million | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 1.92 million | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 1.99 million | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 2.05 million | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 2.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 2.14 million | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 2.14 million | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 2.09 million | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 2.04 million | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 1.99 million | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 1.97 million | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 1.98 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 2.01 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 2.07 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 2.13 million | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 2.19 million | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 2.26 million | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 2.32 million | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 2.38 million | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 2.46 million | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 2.54 million | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 2.62 million | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 2.69 million | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 2.74 million | +2.0% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 2.74 million is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.23 million, 52% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 2.74 million is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.08 million, 54% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.46 million | 1.31 million | 1.68 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.99 million | 1.74 million | 2.14 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.10 million | 1.97 million | 2.32 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.57 million | 2.38 million | 2.74 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 24 New Zealand 2.88 million compare
- 25 Norway 2.84 million compare
- 26 Finland 2.77 million compare
- 28 Luxembourg 533,853 compare
- 29 Iceland 223,165 compare
More economy & growth data for Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 67.14 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.1102 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 12,444 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 4.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 103.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0079 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 893.09 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 7.57 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Ireland?
- Economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Ireland was 2.74 million in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.74 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.31 million in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy?
- Ireland ranks 27th out of 29 countries with data for 2025.
- Is economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
May 2024 - The OECD Economic Outlook presents the OECD’s analysis of the major global economic trends and prospects for the next two years. The Outlook puts forward a consistent set of projections for output, employment, government spending, prices and current balances based on a review of each member country and of the induced effect on each of them on international developments. OECD (2024), OECD Economic Outlook No 115 (Edition 2024/1) EO115 Database documentation EO115 Last historical points gdp inflation cpi population unemployment real gdp gdp per capita employment OECD Economic Outlook website: https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook/ Contact: eco.outlook@oecd.org Keywords: Outlook, forecasts, forecast, GDP