Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland

Ireland: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) was 4.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
4.4%
Change on year
up 176.9%
World rank
10th
of 156 countries
All-time high
5.0%
in 2000
All-time low
-32.1%
in 2010
Years of data
53
1972–2024

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland, 1972–2024

-30-20-100197219982024

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland is 4.4%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of up 176.9% on the previous year and up 220.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland peaked at 5.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, -32.1%, in 2010.

Ireland ranks 10th of 156 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) in Ireland, 1972 to 2024.
Year % of GDP Change
1972 -2.1%
1973 -2.1% +1.6%
1974 -4.4% +105.9%
1975 -7.7% +76.2%
1976 -5.1% -33.5%
1977 -5.0% -2.4%
1978 -7.0% +39.0%
1979 -7.7% +9.9%
1980 -8.1% +5.3%
1981 -8.9% +10.7%
1982 -9.8% +10.1%
1983 -8.4% -14.2%
1984 -7.0% -16.5%
1985 -8.6% +22.0%
1986 -8.5% -1.1%
1987 -7.7% -9.7%
1988 -4.2% -44.9%
1989 -1.9% -54.5%
1990 -2.4% +23.5%
1991 -2.4% +0.5%
1992 -2.6% +9.1%
1993 -2.7% +2.7%
1994 -2.3% -13.1%
1995 -2.0% -13.5%
1996 -0.1% -93.6%
1997 1.4% -1200.7%
1998 2.2% +59.3%
1999 3.6% +60.2%
2000 5.0% +38.3%
2001 1.4% -71.6%
2002 -0.2% -114.0%
2003 0.1% -128.3%
2004 1.2% +2081.9%
2005 1.4% +12.4%
2006 2.6% +89.2%
2007 0.5% -82.5%
2008 -6.7% -1568.7%
2009 -13.8% +107.1%
2010 -32.1% +132.6%
2011 -13.3% -58.5%
2012 -8.3% -37.5%
2013 -6.2% -25.6%
2014 -3.6% -41.2%
2015 -2.1% -42.2%
2016 -0.8% -60.8%
2017 -0.3% -61.9%
2018 0.1% -130.6%
2019 0.6% +494.1%
2020 -4.8% -938.3%
2021 -1.2% -75.1%
2022 1.7% -244.9%
2023 1.6% -7.9%
2024 4.4% +176.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s -5.1% -7.7% -2.1% 8
1980s -7.3% -9.8% -1.9% 10
1990s -0.7% -2.7% 3.6% 10
2000s -0.9% -13.8% 5.0% 10
2010s -6.6% -32.1% 0.6% 10
2020s 0.3% -4.8% 4.4% 5

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 7 Micronesia, Federated States of 6.9% compare
  2. 8 Tonga 5.3% compare
  3. 9 Marshall Islands 5.0% compare
  4. 11 Samoa 4.4% compare
  5. 12 Denmark 4.2% compare
  6. 13 Cyprus 4.2% compare

See the full ranking of 182 places →

More public sector data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland?
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland was 4.4% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 5.0% in 2000.
What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was -32.1% in 2010.
How does Ireland rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
Ireland ranks 10th out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 220.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/net-lending-net-borrowing-percent-of-gdp/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
182 places, 5,229 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (–) equals government revenue minus expense, minus net investment in nonfinancial assets. It is also equal to the net result of transactions in financial assets and liabilities. Net lending/net borrowing is a summary measure indicating the extent to which government is either putting financial resources at the disposal of other sectors in the economy or abroad, or utilizing the financial resources generated by other sectors in the economy or from abroad. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.