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MacroIreland

Government debt in Ireland

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Ireland's government debt is 32.90 % — #24 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

32.90%

Checked 8 Sept 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

118.90 %71.30 %23.70 %118.90 % · 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: 28.10 %2005: 26.10 %2006: 23.70 %2007: 23.90 %2008: 42.50 %2009: 61.80 %2010: 86.20 %2011: 109.60 %2012: 118.90 %2013: 117.70 %2014: 101.40 %2015: 74.00 %2016: 72.70 %2017: 65.20 %2018: 61.30 %2019: 55.80 %2020: 56.90 %2021: 52.40 %2022: 42.90 %2023: 41.80 %2024: 38.30 %2025: 32.90 %19952010202532.90 %
31 official observations, 1995 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#24 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
81 %
100 of 124 countries
Latest move
▼ 5.40 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
86.00 pp
peak 118.90 % in 2012
Full series
▼ 45.60 pp
since 1995

In Europe: #8 of 37vs median 54.55 %: −21.65 pp (better)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %Ireland: ahead of 81 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtIreland 32.90 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. Ireland is ahead of 81 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Ireland
22 Vietnam30.30 %−2.60 pp
23 Saudi Arabia31.70 %−1.20 pp
24 Ireland32.90 %—
25 Belarus33.10 %+0.20 pp
26 United Arab Emirates34.30 %+1.40 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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