Ireland — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Ireland, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Ireland was 4.63% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 15.77% in 1991. The lowest was 3.68% in 2001 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -3.54% per year.
Ireland ranks 110 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 59%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Ireland sits below it. It peaked in 1991 and has fallen 71% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 53%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 35 of 49 economies; Uzbekistan (4.62%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 86% in 2009. That is 22% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 25th of 187 in 1991 → 133rd of 187 in 2000 → 29th of 187 in 2010 → 108th of 187 in 2020 → 105th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.63% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 4.24% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 4.47% | -1.9 pp |
| 2021 | 6.36% | +0.7 pp |
| 2020 | 5.62% | +0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 4.95% | -0.8 pp |
| 2018 | 5.74% | -1.0 pp |
| 2017 | 6.71% | -1.7 pp |
| 2016 | 8.37% | -1.5 pp |
| 2015 | 9.91% | -2.0 pp |
| 2014 | 11.86% | -1.9 pp |
| 2013 | 13.74% | -1.7 pp |
| 2012 | 15.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 15.35% | +0.8 pp |
| 2010 | 14.53% | +1.9 pp |
| 2009 | 12.61% | +5.8 pp |
| 2008 | 6.77% | +1.8 pp |
| 2007 | 4.98% | +0.6 pp |
| 2006 | 4.36% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.24% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 4.49% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 4.48% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 4.22% | +0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 3.68% | -0.6 pp |
| 2000 | 4.32% | -1.5 pp |
| 1999 | 5.8% | -1.9 pp |
| 1998 | 7.7% | -2.5 pp |
| 1997 | 10.19% | -1.5 pp |
| 1996 | 11.69% | -0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 11.97% | -2.6 pp |
| 1994 | 14.54% | -1.0 pp |
| 1993 | 15.57% | +0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 15.02% | -0.8 pp |
| 1991 | 15.77% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ireland’s Unemployment in 1992?
15.02% (1992). 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 total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Ireland’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -70.6% in total — about 3.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.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: 2025: 4.63%; 2024: 4.3%; 2023: 4.24%; 2022: 4.47%; 2021: 6.36%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. 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.