Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Ireland
Ireland: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 11.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Ireland, 1987–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 11.0% for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in 2024.
That represents a change of up 149.2% on the previous year and down 68.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Ireland peaked at 59.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, -24.2%, in 2019.
That places Ireland 6th out of 189 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 0.3% | — |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +522.5% |
| 1989 | 3.9% | +94.2% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | -80.9% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -47.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +82.2% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +55.2% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -19.1% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 4.3% | +372.1% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | +42.7% |
| 2000 | 4.6% | -25.2% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -19.5% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | +130.6% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | -60.7% |
| 2004 | 9.3% | +175.8% |
| 2005 | 43.3% | +366.3% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | -57.4% |
| 2007 | 20.7% | +12.1% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 23.1% | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | -67.1% |
| 2011 | -0.6% | -108.3% |
| 2012 | 14.1% | -2326.8% |
| 2013 | 20.0% | +41.8% |
| 2014 | 34.4% | +72.5% |
| 2015 | 59.8% | +73.8% |
| 2016 | 31.5% | -47.3% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -99.7% |
| 2018 | 23.5% | +24453.6% |
| 2019 | -24.2% | -203.3% |
| 2020 | -18.7% | -23.1% |
| 2021 | 23.7% | -227.2% |
| 2022 | -1.5% | -106.5% |
| 2023 | -22.4% | +1354.4% |
| 2024 | 11.0% | -149.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.1% | 0.3% | 3.9% | 3 |
| 1990s | 1.6% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.6% | 3.4% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.6% | -24.2% | 59.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.6% | -22.4% | 23.7% | 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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 9.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.8217 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 108,129 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth 13.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth 9.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 17.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0094 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 1,231 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Ireland?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Ireland was 11.0% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 59.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was -24.2% in 2019.
- How does Ireland rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Ireland ranks 6th out of 189 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.