Ireland — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Ireland, 2000–2024.
Health spending for Ireland was 6.85% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 25 years, from 2000 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 10.52% in 2009. The lowest was 5.90% in 2000 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.63% per year.
Ireland ranks 88 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 47%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 7.92%, so Ireland sits below it. It peaked in 2009 and has fallen 35% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 26%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 39 of 51 economies; Uzbekistan (6.74%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 23% in 2015.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 111 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 63rd of 184 in 2000 → 14th of 188 in 2010 → 93rd of 189 in 2020 → 21st of 22 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2024
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6.85% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 6.58% | +0.6 pp |
| 2022 | 6.02% | -0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 6.44% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 6.97% | +0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 6.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 6.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 6.92% | -0.4 pp |
| 2016 | 7.34% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 7.08% | -2.2 pp |
| 2014 | 9.23% | -0.8 pp |
| 2013 | 10.03% | -0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 10.47% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 10.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 10.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 10.52% | +1.4 pp |
| 2008 | 9.13% | +1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 7.81% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 7.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 7.64% | +0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 7.22% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 7.01% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 6.67% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 6.39% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 5.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ireland’s Health spending in 2001?
6.39% (2001). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Ireland’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +16.2% in total — about 0.6% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 6.85%; 2023: 6.58%; 2022: 6.02%; 2021: 6.44%; 2020: 6.97%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.