Tax revenue as share of GDP in Ireland
Ireland: Tax revenue as share of GDP was 21.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Ireland, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tax revenue as share of gdp in Ireland is 21.9%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 8.1% on the previous year and down 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp in Ireland peaked at 36.6% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 19.4%, in 2020.
That places Ireland 77th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 30.6% | — |
| 1981 | 31.7% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 32.8% | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 34.3% | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 35.1% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 34.0% | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 34.6% | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 34.8% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 36.6% | +5.1% |
| 1989 | 33.6% | -8.3% |
| 1990 | 33.2% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 34.0% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 34.1% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 35.2% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 31.7% | -9.8% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 31.4% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 30.8% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 30.8% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 32.0% | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 29.9% | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 29.1% | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 29.8% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 30.9% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 31.3% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 30.8% | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 29.1% | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 28.1% | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 27.7% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 27.6% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 27.9% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 28.1% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 27.9% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 22.3% | -19.9% |
| 2016 | 23.0% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 21.7% | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 21.8% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 21.4% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 19.4% | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 20.0% | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 20.3% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 21.9% | +8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 33.8% | 30.6% | 36.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.7% | 30.8% | 35.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.4% | 28.1% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.9% | 21.4% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 19.4% | 21.9% | 4 |
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)
- 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 tax revenue as share of gdp in Ireland?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp in Ireland was 21.9% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tax revenue as share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 1988.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.4% in 2020.
- How does Ireland rank for tax revenue as share of gdp?
- Ireland ranks 77th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tax revenue as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Direct and indirect taxes as well as social contributions included.