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Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Ireland economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Ireland best banks and safest banks are also available.
Kieran Donoghue, head of international financial services, strategy and public policy for Ireland’s Investment Development Agency, talks with Global Finance about the Irish government's view of Boris Johnson's Brexit deal and how multinationals have reacted to the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
USD 5.2 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
USD 372.7 billion (2018, estimate)
Intl$ 385.9 billion (2018, estimate)
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 5.3% | -4.4% | -5.1% | 1.9% | 3.7% | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | ||
| 8.8% | 25% | 4.9% | 7.2% | 6.8% |
*Estimate
USD 76,098.6 (2018, estimate)
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2019* |
| 0.20% | 0.19% | 0.26% | 0.23% | 0.29% |
*Estimate
(2018)
1.1% (2017)
OECD, data retrieved October 2019
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 0% | -0.2% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 1.2% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 9.9% | 8.4% | 6.7% | 5.8% | 5.5% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 76.8% | 74% | 67.8% | 63.7% | 60.9% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| -1.9% | -0.7% | -0.3% | 0% | 0% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: A+
Moody's: A2
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 119.8 billion | USD 146.6 billion | USD 110.2 billion |
Medtronic, Accenture, Johnson Controls International, Eaton, CRH, Ingersoll Rand, Allergan, Aptiv, AIB Group, Ryanair Holdings, Seagate Technology, Bank of Ireland, Kerry Group, AerCap Holdings, Experian, DCC, Adient, Smurfit Kappa Group
10.6 % (2018 estimate)
122.3% (2018)
0.85% (2018)
3.56% (2018)
Machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals; foodstuffs, animal products
Data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
US 27.1%, UK 13.4%, Belgium 11%, Germany 8.1%, Switzerland 5.1%, Netherlands 4.9%, France 4.3% (2017)
UK 29%, US 18.9%, France 12.1%, Germany 9.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2017)
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 39,389 million | USD -1,250 million | USD -66,346 million |
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 30,064 million | USD -39,091 million | USD 13,272 million |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 94,558 million | USD 67,162 million | USD -6,504 million | USD 3,650 million |
Mallinckrodt PLC, Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc, United States, USD 5.6 billion / Shire PLC, ViroPharma Inc, United States, USD 4.2 billion
Actavis PLC, Allergan Inc, United States, USD 68.4 billion / CRH PLC, Lafarge SA & Holcim Ltd-Certain Assets, France, USD 7.4 billion / Shire PLC, NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc, United States, USD 5.1 billion / Perrigo Co PLC, Omega Pharma Invest NV, Belgium, USD 4.5 billion / XL Group PLC, Catlin Group Ltd, Bermuda, USD 3.8 billion
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking:
24 out of 190 countries
Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 23 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 36 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 47 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 60 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 48 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 13 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 4 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 52 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 91 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 19 out of 190 countries
24 out of 141 countries
(2019)
Ranking: 6 / Score: 80.5 (Free)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 38.7% of the population as a first or second language in 2011; mainly spoken in areas along the western coast)
Roman Catholic 84.7%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 2.7%, Muslim 1.1%, other 1.7%, unspecified 1.5%, none 5.7% (2011 est.)
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
| 3.506 million | 3.79 million | 4.555 million | 4.675 million | 4.875 million |
*Estimate
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 46% | 55% | 59% | 63% |
32.5 (2012)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed 40.87% Mobile 103.71% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)