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Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Ireland

Ireland: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 1.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
1.6%
Change on year
up 3.7%
Rank
25th
of 116 regions
All-time high
1.6%
in 2009
All-time low
1.1%
in 2001
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Ireland, 1996–2023

00.511.51996200920231996: 1.3 % of GDP1997: 1.2 % of GDP1998: 1.2 % of GDP1999: 1.2 % of GDP2000: 1.1 % of GDP2001: 1.1 % of GDP2002: 1.1 % of GDP2003: 1.1 % of GDP2004: 1.2 % of GDP2005: 1.2 % of GDP2006: 1.2 % of GDP2007: 1.2 % of GDP2008: 1.4 % of GDP2009: 1.6 % of GDP2010: 1.6 % of GDP2011: 1.5 % of GDP2012: 1.5 % of GDP2013: 1.5 % of GDP2014: 1.5 % of GDP2015: 1.1 % of GDP2016: 1.1 % of GDP2017: 1.2 % of GDP2018: 1.1 % of GDP2019: 1.1 % of GDP2020: 1.1 % of GDP2021: 1.1 % of GDP2022: 1.5 % of GDP2023: 1.6 % of GDP

Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for research & development spending as a share of gdp in Ireland is 1.6%, measured in 2023.

The figure is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in Ireland peaked at 1.6% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2001.

That places Ireland 25th out of 116 regions with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.2% 1.2% 1.3% 4
2000s 1.2% 1.1% 1.6% 10
2010s 1.3% 1.1% 1.6% 10
2020s 1.3% 1.1% 1.6% 4

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 22 Singapore 1.8% compare
  2. 23 Canada 1.8% compare
  3. 24 Portugal 1.7% compare
  4. 26 Poland 1.6% compare
  5. 27 New Zealand 1.5% compare
  6. 28 United Arab Emirates 1.5% compare

See the full ranking of 116 places →

More science & technology data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in Ireland?
Research & development spending as a share of gdp in Ireland was 1.6% in 2023, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 1.6% in 2009.
What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2001.
How does Ireland rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
Ireland ranks 25th out of 116 regions with data for 2023.
Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
116 places, 2,375 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.