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Economy - Finance

2.1 Ireland: GDP and GNI, 2004-2013 
     
 €b€b%
YearGDPGNIGNI as % of GDPGNI at constant 2012 prices per capita
2004155.5134.186.233,638
2005169.2146.886.834,821
2006183.8161.888.035,993
2007196.7170.986.935,907
2008186.9162.687.034,271
2009168.1141.183.930,946
2010164.9139.884.731,179
2011171.0140.482.130,866
2012172.8142.682.631,103
2013174.8148.785.132,032
Source: CSO National Accounts

 

  • Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current market prices in Ireland peaked at €196.7 billion in 2007 and then fell to €164.9 billion in 2010. There was a rise to €171 billion in 2011 followed by small increases to €172.8 billion in 2012 and €174.8 billion in 2013.
  • Gross National Income (GNI) was 85.1% of GDP in 2013 and has been consistently less than 90% over the recent past. This gap reflects the importance of foreign direct investment to the Irish economy.
  • GNI per capita, at constant 2012 prices, rose from €33,638 in 2004 to €35,993 in 2006 before decreasing to €30,866 in 2011.
  • GNI per capita increased over the last two years to stand at €32,032 in 2013, over €1,600 below the level for 2004.
GNI at constant 2012 prices per capita
200433638.3213375158
200534821.2240330515
200635992.9497414311
200735906.7222542589
200834271.1401355175
200930946.0750599862
201031179.3674922843
201130865.6927461447
201231102.8556349625
201332032.1081898603
2.2 EU: GDP and GNI at current market prices, 20131,2
    
 €b€b%
CountryGDPGNIGNI as % of GDP
EU13,068.613,075.0100.0
Germany2,809.52,881.9102.6
France2,059.92,097.2101.8
United Kingdom1,899.11,876.498.8
Italy1,618.91,616.199.8
Spain1,023.01,014.999.2
Netherlands602.7599.999.5
Sweden420.8432.7102.8
Belgium395.3391.399.0
Poland381.5365.295.7
Austria322.6322.399.9
Denmark253.6261.7103.2
Finland201.3201.9100.3
Greece182.1181.999.9
Ireland174.8148.785.1
Portugal171.2167.597.8
Czech Republic149.5139.693.4
Romania142.2138.797.5
Hungary97.091.894.6
Slovakia72.170.497.6
Croatia43.142.097.5
Luxembourg42.929.268.1
Bulgaria39.939.198.0
Slovenia36.135.999.3
Lithuania34.633.596.7
Latvia23.423.399.8
Estonia18.618.197.2
Cyprus16.516.297.9
Malta7.57.295.5
    
Switzerland489.7516.2105.4
Norway385.7392.0101.6
Iceland11.010.797.2
Source: Eurostat, CSO National Accounts
1 ESA2010 data used for Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Malta, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland and Ireland. All other countries are based on ESA95.
2 2012 data used for Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland.

 

  • GDP for the five largest economies in the EU (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain) accounted for 72% of total GDP within the EU in 2013. Ireland had the fourteenth largest economy in the EU in 2013, using GDP as a measure and acccounted for 1.3% of EU GDP.
  • The relationship between GDP and GNI in Ireland is exceptional among EU countries, with Luxembourg the only other country where the difference between the two measures is over 7% of GDP.
  • The GNI/GDP ratio was was 68.1 for Luxembourg compared with 85.1 for Ireland, while the average for the EU was 100. The gap between GNI and GDP reflects the importance of foreign direct investment to the Irish economy.
2.3 EU: GDP growth rates, 2009-2013
      
     %
Country20092010201120122013
Latvia-14.2-2.95.04.84.2
Romania-7.1-0.81.10.63.5
Lithuania-14.81.66.13.83.3
Ireland (% of GNI)-8.71.2-0.61.03.2
Malta-2.53.52.22.02.5
Luxembourg-5.35.12.6-0.22.0
Poland2.63.74.81.81.7
United Kingdom-4.31.91.60.71.7
Estonia-14.72.58.34.71.6
Hungary-6.60.81.8-1.51.5
Sweden-5.26.02.7-0.31.5
Slovakia-5.34.82.71.61.4
Bulgaria-5.00.72.00.51.1
Belgium-2.62.51.60.10.3
France-2.92.02.10.30.3
Ireland (% of GDP)-6.4-0.32.8-0.30.2
Austria-3.81.93.10.90.2
Germany-5.64.13.60.40.1
EU -4.42.11.7-0.40.0
Denmark-5.11.61.3-0.8-0.1
Czech Republic-4.82.32.0-0.8-0.7
Netherlands-3.31.11.7-1.6-0.7
Croatia-7.4-1.7-0.3-2.2-0.9
Slovenia-7.81.20.6-2.6-1.0
Spain-3.60.0-0.6-2.1-1.2
Finland-8.33.02.6-1.5-1.2
Portugal-3.01.9-1.8-3.3-1.4
Italy-5.51.70.6-2.3-1.9
Greece-4.4-5.4-8.9-6.6-3.9
Cyprus-2.01.40.3-2.4-5.4
      
Iceland-5.1-2.92.11.13.5
  Source: Eurostat, CSO National Accounts

 

  • The GDP growth rate in Ireland was positive between 2004 and 2007 and averaged around 5% (see graph).
  • In 2008 the GDP growth rate in Ireland fell to -2.6% before decreasing sharply to -6.4% in 2009. It then rose in 2010 but remained negative at -0.3%.
  • The growth rate in Ireland became postive in 2011 at 2.8% before decreasing to -0.3% in 2012 followed by a rise to 0.2% In 2013.
  • The GDP growth rate in Ireland in 2013 was the fifteenth highest in the EU and just above the EU average of 0% while the GNI growth rate of 3.2% in Ireland was the fourth highest in the EU.
  • The highest GDP growth rate in 2013 was in Latvia at 4.2% followed by Romania and Lithuania.
  • The GDP growth rate was negative in eleven countries in 2013 with the lowest growth rate in Cyprus at - 5.4%.

 

IrelandEU
20044.578793235363962.5
20055.674407457396222
20065.469976305721843.4
20074.932207609950433.1
2008-2.609581949178140.5
2009-6.37067881922334-4.4
2010-0.2755961392884182.1
20112.772473342742941.7
2012-0.312757866552797-0.4
20130.1730774796677380
2.4 EU: GDP per capita in Purchasing Power Standards, 2009-2013 
      
     EU = 100
Country20092010201120122013
Luxembourg252262265263264
Austria126126129130129
Netherlands132130129127127
Sweden120123125126127
Ireland (GDP)128128128129126
Denmark123128125126125
Germany115120123123124
Belgium118120120120119
Finland114114116115112
France109109109109108
Ireland (GNI)107108105106107
United Kingdom112108105104106
EU100100100100100
Italy10410310110098
Spain10399969695
Malta8487868687
Cyprus10097939186
Slovenia8684848483
Czech Republic8281818180
Slovakia7374757676
Greece9589817675
Portugal8080777675
Lithuania5862677274
Estonia6464697172
Poland6063656768
Latvia5455606467
Hungary6566676767
Croatia6360606161
Romania5051515354
Bulgaria4444464747
      
Norway176180185194191
Switzerland150152154158158
Iceland120114114115116
Turkey4650535455
Macedonia3636363535
    Source: Eurostat

 

  • Ireland had the fifth highest GDP per capita, expressed in terms of purchasing power standards, in the EU in 2013, with Ireland 26% above the EU average.
  • GNI per capita in Ireland was 7% above the EU average in 2013.
  • In 2013 all thirteen of the EU Member States who have joined since 2004, as well as Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal were below the EU average GDP per capita.
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
2.5 EU: General Government consolidated gross debt, 2009-2013
      
     % of GDP
Country20092010201120122013
Estonia:6.56.09.710.1
Bulgaria14.215.915.718.018.3
Luxembourg15.519.618.521.423.6
Romania23.229.934.237.337.9
Latvia36.446.842.740.938.2
Sweden40.336.736.136.438.6
Lithuania29.036.337.339.939.0
Denmark40.442.946.445.645.0
Czech Republic34.138.241.045.545.7
Slovakia36.041.143.552.154.6
Poland:53.654.854.455.7
Finland41.747.148.553.056.0
Netherlands56.559.061.366.568.6
Malta67.867.669.867.969.8
Slovenia34.537.946.253.470.4
Croatia44.552.859.964.475.7
Germany72.480.377.679.076.9
Hungary78.280.981.078.577.3
Austria79.782.482.181.781.2
EU:78.280.883.585.4
United Kingdom65.976.481.985.887.2
Eurozone:83.785.889.090.9
Spain52.760.169.284.492.1
France78.881.585.089.292.2
Cyprus53.556.566.079.5102.2
Belgium99.399.6102.1104.0104.5
Ireland (% of GDP)62.287.4111.1121.7123.3
Italy112.5115.3116.4122.2127.9
Portugal83.696.2111.1124.8128.0
Ireland (% of GNI)74.1103.1135.4147.4144.9
Greece126.8146.0171.3156.9174.9
  Source: Eurostat, CSO National Accounts

 

  • General government consolidated gross debt as a percentage of GDP in Ireland was below 30% between 2004 and 2007 before rising to 42.6% in 2008. The debt to GDP ratio has increased each year since then to stand at 123.3% in 2013. (See graph for 2004 to 2008 data.)
  • The debt to GNI ratio in Ireland followed a similar pattern and rose steeply from 32.8% in 2004 to 144.9% in 2013.
  • Ireland had the fourth highest debt to GDP ratio in the EU in 2013, behind Greece, Portugal and Italy.
  • The Eurozone debt to GDP ratio was 90.9% in 2013 while the figure in the EU was 85.4%.
2.6 EU: Public balance 2009-2013
      
     % of GDP
Country20092010201120122013
Luxembourg-0.5-0.60.30.10.6
Germany-3.0-4.1-0.90.10.1
Estonia:0.21.0-0.3-0.5
Denmark-2.8-2.7-2.1-3.9-0.7
Latvia-8.9-8.2-3.4-0.8-0.9
Bulgaria-4.2-3.2-2.0-0.5-1.2
Czech Republic-5.5-4.4-2.9-4.0-1.3
Sweden-0.70.0-0.1-0.9-1.3
Austria-5.3-4.5-2.6-2.3-1.5
Romania-8.9-6.6-5.5-3.0-2.2
Netherlands-5.5-5.0-4.3-4.0-2.3
Hungary-4.6-4.5-5.5-2.3-2.4
Finland-2.5-2.6-1.0-2.1-2.4
Lithuania-9.3-6.9-9.0-3.2-2.6
Slovakia-7.9-7.5-4.1-4.2-2.6
Malta-3.3-3.3-2.6-3.7-2.7
Italy-5.3-4.2-3.5-3.0-2.8
Eurozone:-6.1-4.1-3.6-2.9
Belgium-5.5-4.0-3.9-4.1-2.9
EU :-6.4-4.5-4.2-3.2
Poland:-7.6-4.9-3.7-4.0
France-7.2-6.8-5.1-4.9-4.1
Cyprus-5.6-4.8-5.8-5.8-4.9
Portugal-9.8-11.2-7.4-5.5-4.9
Croatia-5.9-6.0-7.7-5.6-5.2
Ireland (% of GDP)-13.9-32.4-12.6-8.0-5.7
United Kingdom-10.8-9.6-7.6-8.3-5.8
Ireland (% of GNI)-16.6-38.2-15.4-9.7-6.7
Spain-11.0-9.4-9.4-10.3-6.8
Greece-15.2-11.1-10.1-8.6-12.2
Slovenia-6.1-5.7-6.2-3.7-14.6
  Source: Eurostat, CSO National Accounts

 

  • The public balance in Ireland was positive between 2004 and 2007 and reached 2.8% of GDP in 2006, (see chart for data for Ireland from 2004 to 2013).
  • However the public balance in Ireland decreased in 2008 to -7% of GDP, well below the 3% deficit limit in the EMU Stability and Growth Pact, and fell again in 2009 to -13.9% of GDP.
  • The deficit in Ireland deteriorated sharply in 2010 to -32.4% of GDP before improving in 2011 to -12.6%. There were continued improvements in the deficit in 2012 and 2013 which saw the deficit stand at -5.7% in 2013.
  • Ireland had the fifth largest public balance deficit in the EU in 2013, after Slovenia, Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom.
  • All EU countries, with the exceptions of Luxembourg and Germany, had a public balance deficit in 2013.
  • Ten EU member states exceeded the 3% of GDP deficit limit under the EMU Stability and Growth Pact in 2013.
Ireland3% of GDP deficit limit under EMU Stability and Growth pact
20041.4-3
20051.6-3
20062.8-3
20070.2-3
2008-7-3
2009-13.9-3
2010-32.4-3
2011-12.6-3
2012-8-3
2013-5.7-3
2.7 Ireland: Central and Local Government current expenditure, 2004-2013
    
%
Year€b% of GDP% of GNI
200442.127.131.4
200546.427.431.6
200651.227.931.6
200756.428.733.0
200862.033.238.1
200964.238.245.5
201063.238.345.2
201163.537.145.2
201264.737.545.4
201364.136.743.1
Source: CSO National Accounts

 

  • Current expenditure by central and local government as a % of GDP increased each year between 2004 and 2010, rising from 27.1% in 2004 to 38.3% in 2010.
  • However there was a small decline in 2011 when current expenditure by central and local government fell to 37.1% of GDP, a small rise in 2012 to 37.5% which was followed by a small decline to 36.7% in 2013.
  • Current expenditure by central and local government was 43.1% of GNI in 2013.

 

% of GDP% of GNI
200427.098446502223731.4201907849366
200527.432581450259531.6199596586397
200627.860918510341531.6432475603241
200728.679245869861633.0133319128461
200833.154569594493938.1072105830156
200938.162207332343745.466267391284
201038.334808852554245.2355606065555
201137.125893904393445.236489920884
201237.456578309090645.3712229577301
201336.661425286681143.0916548161317
2.8 EU: Gross fixed capital formation, 2009-2013
      
% of GDP
Country20092010201120122013
Estonia22.721.225.827.027.3
Czech Republic27.127.026.626.124.9
Romania26.025.927.127.524.7
Latvia22.519.122.125.223.3
Belgium22.922.323.023.022.3
Austria22.521.622.622.622.2
France22.022.122.422.522.1
Sweden22.322.322.722.622.1
Bulgaria28.722.921.321.521.3
Finland22.821.922.222.321.2
Slovakia21.822.224.221.320.4
Hungary22.920.419.819.119.9
Germany19.119.320.120.019.7
Slovenia24.321.220.219.219.7
EU20.620.120.319.819.3
Croatia25.221.320.319.619.3
Poland21.119.820.319.418.8
Spain24.323.021.419.718.5
Denmark19.918.318.318.318.3
Lithuania17.916.918.417.318.2
Netherlands21.019.720.319.118.2
Ireland % GNI23.518.617.718.917.9
Italy20.019.919.618.617.8
Malta18.221.417.817.517.5
Luxembourg18.016.718.018.417.1
United Kingdom16.116.116.116.216.4
Ireland % GDP19.715.814.515.615.2
Portugal21.120.518.416.315.1
Cyprus23.521.819.115.213.4
Greece20.917.315.411.711.2
      
Macedonia24.623.123.523.423.5
Iceland15.214.115.516.015.1
Source: Eurostat, CSO National Accounts

 

  • Between 2004 and 2006 gross fixed capital formation in Ireland rose from 26.6% of GDP to 29.1%, well above the EU average, which was 22.1% in 2006, (see graph).
  • However the rate of investment halved in Ireland over the following five years to stand at just 14.5% in 2011. This drop in investment is linked to the decline in the construction sector in Ireland over the same time period.
  • In 2012 there was a small increase in gross fixed capital formation to 15.6% of GDP followed by a slight drop to 15.2% in 2013.
  • In 2013 Ireland had the fourth lowest rate of investment in the EU at 15.2% of GDP, after Greece, Cyprus and Portugal.
  • Eleven EU member states had rates of investment above 20% in 2013.
2.9 EU: Current account balance, 2009-2013
      
current account balance as % of GDP
Country20092010201120122013
Netherlands4.86.98.58.910.2
Germany5.76.26.67.27.3
Denmark3.35.75.85.87.2
Sweden5.96.05.85.86.0
Slovenia-0.5-0.10.42.85.8
Luxembourg7.27.76.55.75.2
Ireland-3.00.60.81.64.4
Hungary-0.20.20.40.83.0
Austria2.63.31.62.32.6
Eurozone-0.10.10.11.42.3
Slovakia-2.6-3.7-3.72.22.1
Bulgaria-8.6-1.50.1-0.81.8
Malta-8.6-5.8-0.82.01.5
Lithuania3.70.1-3.7-0.21.5
Croatia-4.9-0.8-0.80.11.2
EU -0.7-0.5-0.30.51.1
Italy-1.8-3.3-2.9-0.21.0
Spain-4.7-4.3-3.6-1.20.8
Greece-10.9-9.9-9.9-2.40.7
Portugal-10.5-10.2-6.8-2.00.5
Latvia8.53.0-2.1-2.5-0.8
Finland1.71.4-1.4-1.4-1.0
Romania-4.1-4.3-4.4-4.4-1.1
Estonia2.72.81.8-1.8-1.1
France-1.3-1.3-1.7-2.1-1.3
Poland-3.9-5.0-4.9-3.7-1.3
Czech Republic-2.3-3.8-2.6-1.3-1.4
Cyprus-9.8-9.0-3.1-6.3-1.7
Belgium-0.61.9-1.1-1.9-1.8
United Kingdom-1.2-2.9-1.2-3.6-4.2
      
Iceland-11.2-7.7-6.0-5.03.7
Macedonia-6.7-2.0-2.5-3.0-1.8
Source: Eurostat, CSO Balance of Payments

 

  • There was a deficit of 3% in the current account in Ireland's balance of international payments in 2009. This changed to a small surplus of 0.6% in 2010, and increased over the next three years to stand at 4.4% in 2013.
  • Ten member states had current account deficits in 2013, with the largest in the United Kingdom at 4.2%.
  • Four member states had current account surpluses of 6% or more in 2013 - the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.
2.10 EU: Exports of goods and services, 2009-2013
      
exports as % of GDP
Country20092010201120122013
Luxembourg145.9153.2154.3161.0161.8
Ireland86.495.197.3102.0101.0
Slovakia69.178.487.794.095.1
Malta79.389.695.699.689.9
Estonia67.783.097.895.589.2
Hungary75.783.390.092.889.2
Lithuania53.666.976.583.086.1
Belgium70.276.781.682.983.3
Netherlands59.368.573.478.078.7
Slovenia57.865.171.374.275.8
Czech Republic57.265.270.175.275.6
Bulgaria46.156.063.964.968.2
Latvia42.553.158.261.159.3
Austria47.651.954.654.554.6
Denmark45.948.952.053.253.7
Germany41.246.549.650.649.7
Poland38.941.644.346.147.0
Croatia36.439.642.243.542.9
Sweden43.845.346.245.542.6
Romania30.034.739.439.941.7
Cyprus36.837.739.439.240.0
Portugal27.630.635.338.039.8
Finland35.938.939.540.139.3
Spain23.426.730.131.933.2
Italy22.825.727.629.029.3
France25.027.028.829.029.0
United Kingdom26.428.229.929.428.9
Greece17.820.123.525.527.7
      
Iceland49.853.655.956.054.5
Macedonia37.745.253.151.750.2
Source: Eurostat, CSO Balance of Payments

 

  • Exports in Ireland rose from 86.4% of GDP in 2009 to 101% in 2013. Ireland has the second highest level of exports as a % of GDP in the EU in 2013, after Luxembourg.
  • Greece has the lowest exports as a % of GDP in 2013 at just 27.7%.
  • Ireland's economy is very open with very high levels of import and export trade in both goods and services. (see Table 2.11 for data on imports.)
2.11 EU: Imports of goods and services, 2009-2013
      
imports as % of GDP
Country20092010201120122013
Italy23.227.429.027.926.9
Greece25.426.829.627.827.8
France26.228.631.030.830.2
Spain25.028.530.831.030.4
United Kingdom28.430.631.731.730.9
Sweden38.340.041.240.437.6
Portugal34.337.539.038.138.2
Cyprus41.843.443.342.038.3
Finland34.137.440.140.739.0
Croatia39.639.341.942.541.6
Romania36.040.344.744.642.2
Germany36.541.044.444.743.7
Poland39.543.445.946.245.1
Denmark42.043.246.748.148.0
Austria44.048.552.652.351.0
Latvia43.654.062.564.761.2
Slovenia55.863.869.969.968.6
Netherlands52.860.965.470.068.7
Bulgaria54.058.463.567.568.8
Czech Republic53.161.966.470.069.7
Ireland71.277.576.979.179.1
Hungary71.177.983.785.981.4
Belgium69.075.582.683.683.4
Malta81.589.691.992.583.5
Lithuania55.268.879.082.084.9
Estonia62.775.891.793.087.4
Slovakia69.278.386.888.789.0
Luxembourg106.4113.7117.2122.7123.0
      
Iceland41.744.048.050.247.5
Macedonia60.565.073.674.368.8
Source: Eurostat, CSO Balance of Payments

 

  • Imports in Ireland rose from 71.2% of GDP in 2009 to 79.1% in 2013.
  • Italy has the lowest imports as a % of GDP, at 26.9%, while Luxembourg has the highest at 123%.
  • Ireland's economy is very open with very high levels of import and export trade in both goods and services. (See Table 2.10 for data on exports.)
2.12 EU: Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, 2009-2013
      
2005=100
Country20092010201120122013
Ireland107.1105.4106.6108.7109.2
Sweden108.7110.8112.3113.4113.9
France106.9108.8111.3113.8114.9
Germany107.2108.4111.1113.5115.3
Netherlands106.6107.6110.2113.3116.2
Portugal107.4108.9112.7115.9116.4
Denmark108.4110.8113.8116.5117.0
Eurozone 108.2110.0112.9115.8117.3
Austria107.7109.5113.4116.3118.8
Italy108.8110.6113.8117.5119.0
Belgium108.9111.4115.1118.2119.6
Cyprus109.2112.0115.9119.5120.0
Malta110.1112.4115.2118.9120.1
EU 28109.6111.9115.4118.4120.2
Finland108.7110.5114.2117.8120.4
Spain110.6112.9116.4119.2121.0
Greece112.4117.7121.4122.6121.6
Czech Republic112.4113.7116.2120.3121.9
Luxembourg110.0113.1117.3120.7122.8
Slovakia111.4112.2116.8121.2122.9
Slovenia113.3115.6118.0121.4123.7
Croatia114.7115.9118.5122.5125.3
Poland112.6115.6120.1124.5125.5
United Kingdom110.8114.5119.6123.0126.1
Lithuania127.1128.6133.9138.1139.8
Estonia123.6127.0133.4139.0143.5
Hungary123.9129.7134.8142.4144.9
Bulgaria132.6136.6141.2144.6145.1
Latvia139.6137.9143.7147.0147.0
Romania127.4135.2143.0147.9152.6
      
Switzerland103.4104.1104.2103.4103.5
Norway109.2111.8113.1113.6115.8
Iceland142.2152.8159.2168.8175.8
Turkey139.5151.4161.2175.7188.7
Source: Eurostat HICP

 

  • Between 2004 and 2008 the rate of change in consumer prices in Ireland, as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, was broadly similar to the averages for the EU and the Eurozone (see graph).
  • However in 2009 and 2010 the rate of change in consumer prices in Ireland decreased and was well below the rate in the EU and the Eurozone. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 consumer prices in Ireland increased but the rate continued to be lower than in the EU and the Eurozone.
  • Ireland experienced the smallest increase in the EU in consumer prices between 2009 and 2013.
2.13 EU: Comparative price levels of final consumption by private households including indirect taxes, 2009-2013
      
EU 28=100
Country20092010201120122013
Bulgaria51.350.050.249.649.0
Romania57.657.455.252.554.0
Poland58.260.458.556.455.8
Hungary63.263.061.861.259.7
Lithuania67.063.664.864.563.5
Croatia76.475.272.668.567.5
Czech Republic73.174.673.771.268.7
Slovakia73.270.370.870.469.4
Latvia76.170.072.672.971.2
Estonia77.374.876.076.478.1
Portugal89.287.485.083.381.3
Malta78.177.479.580.382.5
Slovenia88.086.185.483.483.1
Greece95.094.595.192.589.2
Cyprus89.888.793.492.591.4
Spain97.796.697.094.993.5
EU 100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0
Germany107.0103.5102.2100.5102.3
Italy104.9101.2103.1103.4103.2
Austria107.9105.1105.8105.6107.2
France112.3110.1109.9109.0109.8
Belgium112.3110.2110.2109.8110.8
Netherlands107.9107.9108.4108.4111.1
United Kingdom96.8107.8109.1116.4114.6
Ireland125.6118.1119.2118.8120.0
Luxembourg121.6122.3120.6118.8121.4
Finland124.1121.7122.1121.3123.1
Sweden107.6119.7125.8128.7131.6
Denmark143.1140.5141.3139.0139.4
      
Macedonia45.344.848.847.747.2
Turkey63.469.862.166.664.7
Iceland100.3105.2107.3109.1110.2
Switzerland137.6148.1160.2158.5154.5
Norway139.4150.4156.6160.1157.1
Source: Eurostat HICP

 

  • Ireland had the fifth highest price levels among EU countries in 2013, after Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Luxembourg.
  • Bulgaria had the lowest prices in the EU in 2013, with prices at about half of the EU average.
  • Between 2004 and 2009 price levels for final consumption by private households in Ireland were about 25% above the EU average, with a spike in 2008 when our prices levels were about 30% above the EU average, (see graph).
  • However price levels in Ireland fell in 2010 to 18.1% above the EU average and have increased slightly since then to stand at 20% more than the EU average in 2013.
EU28Ireland
2004100126.1
2005100123.6
2006100124.6
2007100124.2
2008100129.8
2009100125.6
2010100118.1
2011100119.2
2012100118.8
2013100120

 

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