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Exports and Imports 2023

Exports and Imports 2023

Two-thirds of all exports in 2023 were Chemicals & Related Products

Online ISSN: 2565-6236
CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Ireland exported over €196 billion of goods in 2023 and imported €140 billion. Over €126 billion of exports were of Chemicals & Related Products, comprising almost two-thirds of total exports. Machinery & Transport Equipment accounted for 13% of exports and Food & Live Animals were €14.4 billion, or 7% of the total.

Machinery & Transport Equipment was 38% of total imports, with a value of over €53 billion. This includes imports of aircraft. Imports of Chemicals & Related Products accounted for €40 billion (28%), while Food & Live Animals imports accounted for 7% of the total.

Commodities and transactions n.e.s.Miscellaneous manufactured articlesMachinery and transport equipmentManufactured goods classified chiefly by materialChemicals and related productsAnimal and vegetable oils, fats and waxesMineral fuels, lubricants and related materialsCrude materials, inedible, except fuelsBeverages and tobaccoFood and live animals
%0111326500117
Commodities and transactions n.e.s.Miscellaneous manufactured articlesMachinery and transport equipmentManufactured goods classified chiefly by materialChemicals and related productsAnimal and vegetable oils, fats and waxesMineral fuels, lubricants and related materialsCrude materials, inedible, except fuelsBeverages and tobaccoFood and live animals
%0113862807117

Exports and Imports 1978-2023

Ireland has had a trade surplus (more exports than imports) since 1985, when the surplus was €400,000. It peaked in 2020 when the surplus was €75 billion and was recorded as €56 billion in 2023.

X-axis labelExportsImportsTrade Balance
19783.7624644.714663-0.952199
19794.4158196.107341-1.691522
19805.1837016.882876-1.699175
19816.066268.352853-2.286593
19827.226648.654732-1.428092
19838.8168549.353875-0.537021
198411.29752611.316122-0.018596
198512.37110511.971340.399765
198611.90292110.946780.956141
198713.61603311.6247141.991319
198815.62393212.9700642.653868
198918.53441715.5977982.936619
199018.20387315.8321322.371741
199119.07009116.3171572.752934
199221.26023916.7540674.506172
199325.17852518.899676.278855
199428.89085821.9453916.945467
199535.33008126.1808569.149225
199638.60892628.47946310.129463
199744.86797332.86348812.004485
199857.32181839.71499517.606823
199966.95620944.32706422.629145
200083.98654.960129.0259
200192.730456.455236.2752
200294.058955.105738.9532
200382.584848.515334.0695
200484.949251.557233.392
200587.172758.462628.7101
200687.496763.833123.6636
200790.579765.939324.6404
200888.503159.335629.1675
200987.585548.203339.3822
201090.923848.694642.2292
201193.190653.035240.1554
201293.506756.179237.3275
201389.181555.787133.3944
201492.615962.157530.4584
2015112.407370.11142.2963
2016119.29215474.29631444.99584
2017122.78479482.94318439.84161
2018140.6449791.99108948.653881
2019152.53399891.01906561.514933
2020162.13108287.06543375.065649
2021165.715114103.78849161.926623
2022208.76264141.03742667.725214
2023196.029747140.29449355.735254

Exports of Food & Live Animals comprised 38% of total exports in 1978, or €1.4 billion. By 2023, these products accounted for just 7% of total exports, with a value of €14.4 billion.

By contrast, exports of Chemicals & Related Products represented 12% of total exports in 1978. By 2008, it accounted for half of all exports, and in 2023 had a value of €127 billion, almost two-thirds of total exports.

Goods Exports 1978 - 2023Total food and live animals (0)Beverages and tobacco (1)Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (2)Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (3)Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes (4)Chemicals and related products (5)Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (6)Machinery and transport equipment (7)Miscellaneous manufactured articles (8)Commodities and transactions n.e.s. (9)
197838.49647465065451.762196262874544.059281364552590.4105288449271540.35968450462250311.978107963292113.836996181225913.838883242470910.44461820764274.81322877773714
197934.81976956030131.881576214967144.915781194836110.4790730779499790.31498120733662312.988326740747313.234781588647516.139384336178610.91571008684914.31061599218627
198033.52757035947872.056831595803854.448404720874140.6545709330071310.22566888020740412.73620912934612.749365752384318.68863578358410.94592454310153.96681830221303
198129.48228397727762.637654831807413.805573780220430.6622037301401520.14552623857203613.449423532786312.39930368958821.967093398568511.28978975513744.16114706590222
198226.97336521536982.97845195000724.034378355639690.6328113756877330.1331600854615714.15141753290611.251065502086724.499739851438611.35025405997813.99535607142462
198325.11280100589172.626413004003474.095440391776931.144886826979330.12756250698945513.877330848395610.4472751845526.126087604490211.97821808096184.46398454596163
198423.19941551805242.33899882151195.677048231621681.200776169933130.15758317351958313.89475005412699.498212263463728.662514253120611.13979290687184.23090860777838
198522.63138983946872.426169691389734.619409503031461.269288394205690.16313821602839814.43585678078079.277198762762129.656372652240811.09126468492514.42991147516734
198623.41209355249862.435082951487294.341623371271640.7827322385824460.11096435908463113.3449932163719.4363896055430430.403915139821611.8293568444253.90284872091481
198724.95643922132092.207720853790534.099755046128340.7200041304247720.095791483466586812.18976187851488.7867442741949931.375283828997812.16263944131163.40585984184968
198823.57249762735782.042040377543894.485567397502750.524573455644840.093529592934736313.1052669712088.419871515057831.210382892091413.05633562665283.48993454400595
198921.98344301846672.040619891092344.310974550750640.4703412036105590.088235847936301414.2828501160847.8697808514829531.872586011202813.46636907975043.61479942962328
199019.92924252987262.277141792848153.603496904202750.6321127377673970.078269058458054515.85684540866668.0305767898952131.300245832301714.22037497185354.07169397413397
199120.18937927459292.361519931918523.286287412052730.5949945388304650.081284352549759717.69031411543878.0236428866542929.393729689071814.96077811060263.41806968828833
199222.59104895293042.251578639355842.797452088849990.576931425841450.08480619620503819.1043854210677.4982976437847226.772300160877815.29581111482333.02738835626448
199319.91154763831482.208806909856712.347992982114720.5895182501754970.090775770224824519.28269428014555.8129973856689429.004979441806114.08089631938336.66979102230969
199418.79411473345652.054196521266352.40183936385690.4830040007811470.088778948690274320.90280946311815.571039115556930.643773196351614.48134216020864.57910249671367
199517.42984399045111.736944786512092.027697021130520.4334295186020090.084454943649860318.94863473423684.8557573360785734.493450496193315.5502162590574.43957091408876
199613.62613919900281.702896371683581.830498988757160.3834631401039230.092082333499771522.11464260881024.4673918150429834.951490233113515.13467377984045.69672153014565
199710.25684623640121.555336587191051.719756762802720.416849675825560.08093523636559225.28016364813273.9005082756914437.807473495626813.47109440401955.51103567794337
19988.630267100042081.257957310425851.292071720404960.262933042353960.08926792935981231.67333422676863.1465575638232537.408902488054411.69729822595654.54141039281064
19998.190047020135211.200214307234751.191112836152360.2641651948962640.043237214938498131.61572812463142.707448684856139.120046357463311.40818770071054.25981255898165
20007.082609006262951.141023503917321.122210844664590.3399376086490610.032505417569594932.57757245255162.349320124782740.612602100350110.55413997571024.18807896554188
20016.255877252767161.062003399101051.027926117001540.3200676369345970.025450122074314434.81188477565072.1078308731548740.59855236254789.672340462243234.11806699852476
20026.144873052948741.066353104278280.9171912493129310.3846525953418550.027216988504011941.52780863905492.0475468031201735.67381715074288.808204220972183.40233619572417
20036.998261181234321.341045809882691.048013678061820.2436283674477630.038021524542046543.33170268620862.1698908273677529.097243076207711.4510176206764.28117522837132
20047.137088989654991.220376413197531.167050425430730.4707519317427360.029782505309055344.13449449788812.1393962509358527.633809382548611.66579555781574.40145404547659
20057.318346225366431.265763249274141.235707968205640.7068726791759350.021107525635892946.36864522952712.0131302575232826.556479264723910.39993025339364.11401734717406
20068.039388914096191.553201435025551.706464358084360.6425385185955580.022286554807209945.36833960595091.9595024726646827.32720205447759.887001452626213.4940746336719
20078.393602540083491.553990574046941.698945790281930.7577856848719970.030470403412685247.54851252543342.0068514247673625.56831166365099.372298649697453.06923074375384
20088.005595284232981.397352183143871.483450862173190.9403060457769280.04655204167989649.97056600277281.8764314470340622.559096799999110.63239592737433.0882534058129
20097.170022435220441.232053250823481.110001084654420.6791078431932230.022834829966147456.3048678148781.4214681653926717.219060232572711.07717601657813.76340832672075
20107.702273772103671.324515693360811.588253020661261.130177137339180.029695195317397658.55078648274711.5934221842905812.42732925812611.96430417558443.68924308046958
20118.449779269582981.263217534815741.89332400478161.452614319469990.058374986318362660.12484091743161.7789347852680412.574444203599911.63872751114380.765742467587933
20128.697023849627891.292420757015271.853022296797981.760836389264080.059460979801447458.86722555709911.8071432314475912.365103249285912.1927091855451.10505450411575
20139.793286724264561.316640783122061.942667481484390.9225007428670750.057859533647673656.50723524497791.9185593424645213.297600959840312.92779332036351.31585586696793
201410.09599863522351.238664203446711.937572274307110.9139899304547060.066619230607271555.68050410350712.0197395911501213.065143242143113.63437595488461.34739283427576
20158.787507572906741.14538824435781.575164602298960.6875887953896230.050886374817293957.13516826754131.8727431403476514.953032409816812.72052615799861.07199443452516
20168.46359266846671.117818695771061.281987078546670.5794287191762840.065619571258642955.64936651240281.7970243038783617.956113023158312.27686944105310.812179986288117
20179.263831969290921.111125372739561.477902060087340.8084437556657060.074409865443110255.24600057560871.8605960278762217.246991512646112.12284397366010.787854886982178
20187.947359226568861.026913369173461.366040321242910.7267234654748050.046306668485904660.97466905499711.6569401664346814.229868298880511.22202166206160.803157766680173
20197.71690846259731.124405721011781.094550737469030.5808823027112950.0452987536588460.95282639874161.5402015490343315.570027870114610.70598437995440.668913824706804
20207.195343333365280.8991514656023820.8775325387639120.4807634602722260.052439667305742265.26696774897241.4353287298730314.01652028696149.205588969054060.570363799829573
20217.344362687400981.063252444191661.256548029771140.5736290293955930.069258619343556161.93610016766491.7162218528842215.152212971956210.53068038199580.357733815395981
20227.074146983387450.9864470960896071.072573138565410.8626658486403510.077216881334706264.24483231290811.6193979919012313.558164430187310.23362896732860.270926349657199
20237.346193738647230.9967849420322930.831977812020540.4879988953921370.07486465816843664.60885551211781.6665409459514312.724512673068910.98777013674360.274500685857642
Table 1.1 Exports by Product 1978-2023

Imports of Machinery & Transport Equipment grew from 30% of imports in 1978, with a value of €1.4 billion to 54% of total imports in 2000. In 2023, these products represented 38% of the total value of imports, equating to a value of over €53 billion.

Imports of Food & Live Animals has fallen from 11% of imports in 1978 to 7% in 2023. In value terms, it has increased from €490 million to €10 billion.

Imports of Chemicals & Related Products have grown from 12% of imports in 1978 to 28% and were valued at almost €40 billion in 2023.

Goods Imports 1978 - 2023Total food and live animals (0)Beverages and tobacco (1)Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (2)Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (3)Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes (4)Chemicals and related products (5)Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (6)Machinery and transport equipment (7)Miscellaneous manufactured articles (8)Commodities and transactions n.e.s. (9)
197810.39427420369181.274343468451513.4733553596513710.13045895326980.4774254278619711.934469123243819.25384698757929.906824729572410.48827880168742.66672294499098
197910.30730067307521.173358422265933.4479489519252312.19930244602360.51834341655394711.733862576201319.324432678640328.444539121034810.73915800673322.11175370754638
198010.56982575307181.047556283158383.1223575726193514.81733798487730.45800621716852110.334691486523918.28260453914927.178638696963311.69426850055122.49471296591715
198111.59371534492471.00217255110323.1129124384207414.68863393142440.45934006021655110.504027785476417.125896983940727.452117258618111.66464919231792.39653445355737
198211.05285524727981.097526763393712.7367571867043414.81130784870060.45496498331779710.815713299961216.923100565101327.471283917283612.21841415771162.41807603054606
198311.4731060656680.9872165279095563.002359984498413.47969691705310.45691224225254211.449842979513815.918333311060928.775240207935212.11518221058122.34210955352728
198410.46849795362760.9529766469467193.3190787444674112.41805275694270.61138435941217311.578887184143115.36876325652931.1762103660611.57750862000252.52864011186871
198510.54752433729221.102065432942343.1534982717055911.90075630631160.62333038740859411.701630728055515.007918913003931.244706106417511.56738510475853.15118441210424
198611.40409325847421.121745389968562.915176883065168.499814557340150.47750114645585312.153911926612215.890170442815131.363853114797213.00596157043443.16777171003711
198710.76403256028491.140174287298592.810976682953237.389394698226560.41076279382013212.301644582395715.758529629202133.481881790812212.81006999398013.13253298102646
198810.43822143051881.228976202430462.884288003513325.560589369489620.42692927344074812.649845058590316.031755895730434.426476230186713.17595657199533.17696196410442
19899.392120605741911.135185876878262.794926565916555.489191487157350.39933841943587212.411905834400515.037096903037237.826179054248612.64029063589622.87376461728765
19908.971369111879561.23797603506592.715294440445546.434281876881770.32185810477072812.458890565086215.431686648393335.910949959234813.65221689662522.865476361617
19919.56317329054321.421687613841062.500870709278585.869576421922030.32191882446188413.285837722833715.036645170479134.703698689667614.47196959617412.82462196079869
19929.700719234320841.564999113349612.20918896886355.185337983905640.31603072853892712.982286629270414.67081992688735.641041664689514.8966635981582.83291215201658
19938.321298731670981.248937150754482.23384323641634.798216053507810.36883712784403112.435582208578211.805412475455936.765276854040313.17931477110458.84328139062745
19948.156386915138581.220247112480252.303941634031493.826215718826790.38823186153302112.944791004179411.678265381555538.857516824375612.3505796729718.2738238749084
19957.154533067979141.010715616021111.98165789537213.250382646006690.39477700805504612.786686577398411.515051303135442.805938048778811.75996690100587.34029093624746
19966.892292877853771.040598974777021.816365006601423.672411238933820.36693107591249212.31509175576810.8018925778242.212906191384312.76092530255938.12058499838989
19976.399019483263611.065988491544171.731699933981443.468423680407870.32030075444213312.404328475419310.362761858996845.400101778606112.0658647067536.78151083658557
19985.856490728501921.033949519570631.643965962981992.538197474278920.31107897659309810.92904833552169.4887485192935350.505309140791811.13750612331696.55570521914959
19995.765901842720741.128317454095311.513589981957752.919473755356320.31165610246597911.12591170035538.5885566434086451.482651772289711.03453411667426.12940663067601
20005.141366191109550.9499618814376251.491081712005624.184490202892640.22197921765062311.10842229180817.9159244615639454.134544878921310.72250596341714.1297231991936
20015.519420708809821.203432101914441.414927234338023.930018846802420.21751760688120811.23138346866197.7774943672150753.639345888421311.1587595119673.90770026498888
20025.728264045280251.322004801681131.452662791689433.506170867986430.20996013116610412.56185839214467.872506836860852.175546268353411.09848890405174.07253696078627
20036.512790810321691.454592674888131.628764534074824.058513499864990.2489936164467714.2169583615898.749610947474345.770715629914712.99095336934954.36810655607612
20046.348482850115991.349956941028611.636434872335975.457239725974260.22654449814962813.84792036805728.9605331554079745.18166230904712.28034105808694.71088422179637
20056.296333040268481.327515368799881.598799916527836.876875130425260.22150913575516712.69033535978.462162134424446.162845990428112.12091148871244.24271243495842
20066.401224443118071.26078789844141.674836409323697.393499610703540.25504009675231212.47565917995528.7250971674570146.360117243248411.52991159758813.92382635341226
20076.965345400997581.369592943813481.671992271680178.687080390601660.24340567764595612.32436498415979.2240894277009343.865191168241111.54106883148594.10786890367353
20087.889192997121461.408597873789091.402193624063811.11373273380570.3505484060159513.95806227627269.1965026055184438.408307997222611.56236728035114.71049420583933
20099.163065599243211.596363734433121.209045853707119.221982727323650.36698732244472915.2933512850787.1111313955683537.77645928805712.70099764953855.56061514460628
20109.403301392762241.687661465542381.3927622364697511.50353427279410.37067765214212717.98577254972837.1851909657333732.945131493019812.63487121775314.89109675405486
20119.462394786858541.51974537665551.3679593930069113.0963963556280.46799107008175719.63865508190796.9989365553443733.897109844028111.33888436359252.21192717289649
20129.949055878332191.533841706539081.2346206425153812.74439650262020.44607256778309418.27206510594676.6088516746411536.37271445659610.80221861471862.03616285030759
201310.814328043581.475609952838561.2051173120667712.34353461642570.4216028436681619.48963111543716.9485597924968333.992446282384310.96920255758052.33996748352218
20149.957607690141981.345935727788281.1704138679966210.42062502513780.34927402163857918.4103286007326.8086715199292137.935406025017111.09809757470942.50363994690906
20159.537447761406911.24944730498781.219066908188447.280312647088190.34873272382365119.93667184892536.7003751194534439.780918828714511.64753034473912.29949651267276
20168.992835095426131.23068554921851.109407661865975.225090978268450.32915630242437120.13984435351676.3881688666277642.596975941498311.11429431075142.87354094040251
20178.651230461565111.094437126985621.09347863954685.750793217680190.31336752155547821.09967107122396.1057602997251743.200748116927810.02746048427562.66305306051429
20188.527247677217950.986254222949791.021145645965776.372367219177070.30017255258278321.59836264140765.8838666427788543.312831093899.54898685893372.44876544509654
20198.597187852896531.087622686521771.100802342893776.004938635658370.28449973640137918.67943271005926.4691655533925845.016346849970410.41997519970132.34002843250477
20209.166118774140821.245262284516521.094262059203223.889791715616920.34072419992444124.70420034550346.6768714054405538.472671467676511.81539291259252.59470483538513
20217.231382716605830.987559400974431.066842758124315.962326786310050.35663299122443225.03725292624216.8077856532281639.597342252523912.05498883301040.897885681756371
20226.766930786158850.835105995198750.8638494295833229.277821051555490.41222533372099427.07848553617256.6542096421980937.134809876635210.80510147710720.171460871669623
20237.195188338575770.9483850517211680.8477125328076857.274986909144040.35276723228188328.42546856062276.1358702083908638.028168361533610.65863504706490.132817757857395
Table 1.2 Imports by Product 1978-2023