Ireland - Public finance

Ireland's fiscal year follows the calendar year. Expenditures of local authorities are principally for health, roads, housing, and social welfare.

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) estimates that in 2001 Ireland's central government took in revenues of approximately $34 billion and had expenditures of $27 billion. Overall, the government registered a surplus of approximately $7 billion. External debt totaled $11 billion.

The following table shows an itemized breakdown of government revenues and expenditures. The percentages were calculated from data reported by the International Monetary Fund. The dollar amounts (millions) are based on the CIA estimates provided above.