Side by side
Ireland and the European Union
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is With a degree: Ireland 58.7% against the European Union 36.9%, 21.8 points apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Environment
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
Ireland
the European Union
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: Ireland and the European Union
Where do more people live: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 82.84×: the European Union 450.6m, Ireland 5.4m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Which covers more ground: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 60.40×: the European Union 4,225,104, Ireland 69,947. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Which spends a larger share of its budget on defence: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 2.3 points: the European Union 3.0%, Ireland 0.7%. Armed forces, defence equipment, military aid abroad, and defence research. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where is GDP per person higher: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 2.64×: Ireland €110,150, the European Union €41,700. Gross domestic product at current market prices, divided by the population. Eurostat · GDP per person · 2025. See the figure
Which government owes more: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 48.8 points: the European Union 81.7%, Ireland 32.9%. Consolidated gross debt of the general government, against GDP. Eurostat · Government debt · 2025. See the figure
Which spends more on health per resident: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 84.7%: Ireland €5,464, the European Union €2,959. Hospitals, doctors, medicines and medical equipment, and public health programmes. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 73.5%: the European Union 507, Ireland 293. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Where do more adults hold a degree: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 21.8 points: Ireland 58.7%, the European Union 36.9%. Share of adults whose highest completed education is a university or other tertiary degree. Eurostat · With a degree · 2025. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 9.0 points: the European Union 26.2%, Ireland 17.2%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Where do more households have children: Ireland or the European Union?
The gap is 11.7 points: Ireland 40.4%, the European Union 28.7%. Share of private households with at least one dependent child. Eurostat · Households with children · 2025. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.