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MacroIreland

Government debt in Ireland

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Ireland's government debt is 34.80 % — #30 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

34.80%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.3 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Ireland over time

119.00 %71.35 %23.70 %119.00 % · 201223.70 % · 20061995: 78.50 %1996: 69.80 %1997: 61.60 %1998: 51.40 %1999: 46.60 %2000: 36.40 %2001: 33.60 %2002: 30.90 %2003: 29.80 %2004: 28.00 %2005: 26.10 %2006: 23.70 %2007: 24.00 %2008: 42.50 %2009: 61.80 %2010: 86.30 %2011: 109.70 %2012: 119.00 %2013: 117.80 %2014: 101.50 %2015: 74.10 %2016: 72.70 %2017: 65.30 %2018: 61.40 %2019: 55.80 %2020: 57.10 %2021: 52.40 %2022: 42.80 %2023: 42.10 %2024: 38.40 %2025: 34.80 %19952010202534.80 %
31 official observations, 1995 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#30 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
76 %
95 of 125 countries
Latest move
▼ 3.60 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
84.20 pp
peak 119.00 % in 2012
Full series
▼ 43.70 pp
since 1995

In Europe: #10 of 37vs median 54.70 %: −19.90 pp (better)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Ireland: ahead of 76 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtIreland 34.80 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Ireland is ahead of 76 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Ireland
28 Sweden34.50 %−0.30 pp
29 Nicaragua34.60 %−0.20 pp
30 Ireland34.80 %—
31 Iran35.60 %+0.80 pp
32 Nigeria36.10 %+1.30 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Ireland

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Ireland with another country →Everything about Ireland →
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