Healthcare Spending: Ireland

Analysis# Ireland Healthcare Spending Ireland's healthcare expenditure reached 6.854% of GDP in 2024, representing a 16.2% increase from 2000's low of 5.899%. The country's spending peaked at 10.523% during the 2009 financial crisis, more than 3.6 percentage points above current levels. Since that peak, Ireland has substantially reduced healthcare spending relative to its economy, settling into a range between 6% and 7.3% over the past decade. The most significant shift occurred between 2015 and 2022, when spending declined from 7.078% to 6.021%—a notable contraction likely reflecting post-crisis fiscal consolidation. Recent years show modest recovery, with spending climbing from 6.021% in 2022 to 6.854% in 2024. This upward movement suggests renewed investment in healthcare infrastructure and services as economic conditions stabilized, though spending remains well below pre-crisis levels.