Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland
Ireland: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 0.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland, 1970–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland stood at 0.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 103.2% on the previous year and down 98.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland peaked at 74.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, -24.7%, in 2023.
That places Ireland 154th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.7% | — |
| 1971 | 0.5% | -32.6% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +41.7% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | -6.7% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | +157.2% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | +9.5% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -33.7% |
| 1978 | 2.6% | +111.5% |
| 1979 | 1.8% | -28.3% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | -28.3% |
| 1981 | 1.0% | -25.3% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +14.5% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | -27.5% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | -26.1% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | +27.5% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +13.3% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +9.1% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | -28.3% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -27.9% |
| 1990 | 1.3% | +156.8% |
| 1991 | 2.7% | +116.8% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | -4.7% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -21.1% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | -27.0% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | +39.0% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | +65.5% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -29.1% |
| 1998 | 9.8% | +301.3% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | +87.4% |
| 2000 | 25.7% | +39.7% |
| 2001 | 8.8% | -65.7% |
| 2002 | 22.8% | +158.4% |
| 2003 | 13.8% | -39.3% |
| 2004 | -5.5% | -139.4% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | -506.5% |
| 2006 | 9.5% | -57.1% |
| 2007 | 22.2% | +133.5% |
| 2008 | 8.5% | -61.9% |
| 2009 | 22.8% | +170.0% |
| 2010 | 17.0% | -25.4% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | -42.2% |
| 2012 | 25.6% | +160.3% |
| 2013 | 29.9% | +16.6% |
| 2014 | 39.4% | +31.8% |
| 2015 | 74.8% | +90.1% |
| 2016 | 26.1% | -65.1% |
| 2017 | 20.4% | -21.8% |
| 2018 | 20.4% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 7.7% | -62.3% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | +5.5% |
| 2021 | 14.7% | +81.1% |
| 2022 | -6.5% | -144.3% |
| 2023 | -24.7% | +280.3% |
| 2024 | 0.8% | -103.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.2% | 0.5% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.6% | 1.3% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.1% | -5.5% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.1% | 7.7% | 74.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.5% | -24.7% | 14.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
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)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 10.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.24 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 163,115 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 9.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 1.19 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 156,418 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 51.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2224 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland was 0.8% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 74.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was -24.7% in 2023.
- How does Ireland rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Ireland ranks 154th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 98.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.