Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in Ireland

Ireland: Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax was 3.37 Percentage of GDP in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
3.37 Percentage of GDP
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
28th
of 33 countries
All-time high
5.2 Percentage of GDP
in 2009
All-time low
1.59 Percentage of GDP
in 1965
Years of data
60
1965–2024

Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in Ireland, 1965–2024

2345196519942024

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of GDP.

Analysis

In 2024, financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in Ireland stood at 3.37 Percentage of GDP.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 28.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in Ireland peaked at 5.2 Percentage of GDP in 2009 and was at its lowest, 1.59 Percentage of GDP, in 1965.

That places Ireland 28th out of 33 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.

Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax revenue in Ireland, 1965 to 2024.
Year Percentage of GDP Change
1965 1.59 Percentage of GDP
1966 1.82 Percentage of GDP +14.0%
1967 2.01 Percentage of GDP +10.7%
1968 2.22 Percentage of GDP +10.3%
1969 2.25 Percentage of GDP +1.4%
1970 2.28 Percentage of GDP +1.1%
1971 2.46 Percentage of GDP +8.2%
1972 2.47 Percentage of GDP +0.5%
1973 2.64 Percentage of GDP +6.7%
1974 3.26 Percentage of GDP +23.6%
1975 3.84 Percentage of GDP +17.8%
1976 4.09 Percentage of GDP +6.5%
1977 3.97 Percentage of GDP -2.9%
1978 3.81 Percentage of GDP -4.0%
1979 3.92 Percentage of GDP +2.9%
1980 4.3 Percentage of GDP +9.6%
1981 4.38 Percentage of GDP +1.8%
1982 4.87 Percentage of GDP +11.3%
1983 5.05 Percentage of GDP +3.8%
1984 5.04 Percentage of GDP -0.2%
1985 4.96 Percentage of GDP -1.6%
1986 4.89 Percentage of GDP -1.4%
1987 4.83 Percentage of GDP -1.1%
1988 4.97 Percentage of GDP +2.8%
1989 4.7 Percentage of GDP -5.4%
1990 4.57 Percentage of GDP -2.9%
1991 4.75 Percentage of GDP +4.0%
1992 4.81 Percentage of GDP +1.1%
1993 4.82 Percentage of GDP +0.4%
1994 4.7 Percentage of GDP -2.6%
1995 4.31 Percentage of GDP -8.4%
1996 4.06 Percentage of GDP -5.8%
1997 3.83 Percentage of GDP -5.6%
1998 3.59 Percentage of GDP -6.2%
1999 3.6 Percentage of GDP +0.2%
2000 3.66 Percentage of GDP +1.6%
2001 3.76 Percentage of GDP +2.9%
2002 3.7 Percentage of GDP -1.6%
2003 3.69 Percentage of GDP -0.3%
2004 3.82 Percentage of GDP +3.5%
2005 3.84 Percentage of GDP +0.4%
2006 3.88 Percentage of GDP +1.0%
2007 4.13 Percentage of GDP +6.6%
2008 4.46 Percentage of GDP +7.9%
2009 5.2 Percentage of GDP +16.7%
2010 5.06 Percentage of GDP -2.8%
2011 5.1 Percentage of GDP +0.9%
2012 4.74 Percentage of GDP -7.1%
2013 4.85 Percentage of GDP +2.3%
2014 4.7 Percentage of GDP -3.2%
2015 3.67 Percentage of GDP -21.8%
2016 3.8 Percentage of GDP +3.6%
2017 3.6 Percentage of GDP -5.3%
2018 3.61 Percentage of GDP +0.3%
2019 3.6 Percentage of GDP -0.2%
2020 3.21 Percentage of GDP -10.8%
2021 3.08 Percentage of GDP -4.3%
2022 3.07 Percentage of GDP -0.3%
2023 3.31 Percentage of GDP +8.0%
2024 3.37 Percentage of GDP +1.7%

Ireland compared with similar countries

  • Ireland's 3.37 Percentage of GDP is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.61 Percentage of GDP, 29% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Ireland's 3.37 Percentage of GDP is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.73 Percentage of GDP, 31% of the median. (31 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 1.98 Percentage of GDP 1.59 Percentage of GDP 2.25 Percentage of GDP 5
1970s 3.28 Percentage of GDP 2.28 Percentage of GDP 4.09 Percentage of GDP 10
1980s 4.8 Percentage of GDP 4.3 Percentage of GDP 5.05 Percentage of GDP 10
1990s 4.3 Percentage of GDP 3.59 Percentage of GDP 4.82 Percentage of GDP 10
2000s 4.01 Percentage of GDP 3.66 Percentage of GDP 5.2 Percentage of GDP 10
2010s 4.27 Percentage of GDP 3.6 Percentage of GDP 5.1 Percentage of GDP 10
2020s 3.21 Percentage of GDP 3.07 Percentage of GDP 3.37 Percentage of GDP 5

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 25 United States of America 5.98 Percentage of GDP compare
  2. 26 Canada 5.28 Percentage of GDP compare
  3. 27 Israel 4.96 Percentage of GDP compare
  4. 29 Iceland 2.98 Percentage of GDP compare
  5. 30 Mexico 2.51 Percentage of GDP compare
  6. 31 Colombia 1.7 Percentage of GDP compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More economy & growth data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in Ireland?
Financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax in Ireland was 3.37 Percentage of GDP in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 5.2 Percentage of GDP in 2009.
What is the lowest financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 1.59 Percentage of GDP in 1965.
How does Ireland rank for financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax?
Ireland ranks 28th out of 33 countries with data for 2024.
Is financing of social security benefits in oecd member countries — tax rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 28.3%. 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 Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax revenue. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/financing-of-social-security-benefits-in-oecd-member-countries-tax-revenue/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Financing of social security benefits in OECD member countries — Tax revenue
Unit
Percentage of GDP
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
36 places, 1,787 data points, 1965–2024
Last refreshed

Compulsory payments conferring entitlement to future social benefits These are usually earmarked to finance social benefits and paid to institutions of general government.