Government at a Glance 2015
Country Fact Sheetwww.oecd.org/gov/govataglance.htm
Public finances are recovering steadily, but public investment remains low
From a modest fiscal surplus of 0.3% of GDP (3.8% structural surplus) and a according to the System of National Accounts definition a very low debt-to-GDP ratio of 27% in 2007, the global financial crisis led to a deficit reaching 13.9% of GDP in 2009 (8.9% structural deficit) and the debt ratio rising to 137% of GDP in 2013. As a result of the consolidation efforts pursued by the government, the deficit level decreased to 4.1% of GDP in 2014 (2.9% structural deficit) and is expected to further shrink in the coming years. Public investment levels are recovering much more slowly: from being the second highest in the OECD at 12.7% of overall public expenditure in 2007, public investment had fallen to the lowest level in the OECD at only 3.5% by 2013, significantly below the OECD average (7.8%). Nonetheless, public investment is slightly recovering as evidenced between 2013 and 2014, when it increased by 1.5 percentage points amounting to 4.9% of overall public expenditure.
Chapter 2: Public finance and economicsGeneral government fiscal balance as a percentage of GDPGeneral government gross debt as a percentage of GDPGeneral government investment as a share of total investment
Fiscal consolidation has included a large share of administrative expenditure reductions, including in public sector pay
From 2009 to 2014, the overall compensation of government employees decreased by 2.3 percentage points as a share of GDP. In order to reduce government costs, Ireland used virtually the full spectrum of policy measures to reform and control compensation in central government. Pay reductions (with higher reductions for top-level public servants), reduction in allowances and bonuses and ongoing wage freezes have all been applied. More broadly, employment reform tools have included a recruitment freeze, non-replacement of re-tiring staff and some outsourcing of activities, but without recourse to privatisation or compulsory dismissal.
Chapter 2 Public Finance and Economics Production costs as a percentage of GDP
Chapter 6 Human Resource ManagementCompensation reforms implemented since 2008Employment reforms in select OECD countries’ central public administrations
Satisfaction with public services is above the OECD average,with the exception of health care
The Irish people show among the highest levels of satisfaction across the OECD with the education system (83%) compared to an average of 67% across the OECD, and strong satisfaction with the judicial system (67%) compared to an average 54% for the OECD. However, citizen satisfaction with the health care system (67%) is slightly below the OECD average of 71%.
Chapter 12: Serving CitizensCitizens’ satisfaction with the health care systemCitizens’ satisfaction with the education systemCitizens‘ confidence with the judicial system
Ireland
Government revenues(2013, 2014)
Government expenditures(2013, 2014)
Government gross debt *(2013, 2014)
% of GDP % of GDP % of GDP
Source: OECD National Accounts Source: OECD National Accounts Source: OECD National Accounts
G@G /dataG@G /data
-15% -10% 0%-5% +5% +10% +15%
Ireland
-4.2%-4.1%
2013 2013
-5.8%
2014
Fiscal balance *(2013, 2014)
% of GDP
Public investment(2013, 2014)
% of of total govt. expenditures
How to read the figures:
Ireland
Country value in blue (not represented if not available)
Average of OECD countries in green
Range of OECD country values in grey
Public Finance & Economics Public Employment & Compensation
Public Finance and Economics
GOVERNMENT INPUTS: FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES
29.3%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
28.6%Ireland
20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
2013
41.9%
39.0%(2014)
40.7%(2013)
Ireland
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
2013
7.8%
4.9%(2014)
3.5%(2013)
Ireland136.6%
2013
127.9% 100%
0%2014
109.3%100%
0% 2013
0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250%
Ireland
Source: OECD National Accounts. * See Notes
Values have been rounded. n.a. refers to
data not available
Source: OECD/Eurostat National Accounts* SNA definition, see Notes
Public Employment and Compensation
G@G /data
58.0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
n.a.Ireland
Public sector employment filled by women (2013)
Source: International Labour Organization (database)
Share of women ministers(2015)
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union Parline Database
Public sector employmentas % of total employment (2013)
Source: International Labour Organization (database)
21.3%
24.7%Ireland
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
2013
37.7%
34.9%(2014)
34.9%(2013)
Ireland
GOVERNMENT PROCESSES
Institutions Regulatory Governance Public Procurement Public Sector Integrity Digital Government
Digital Gov.
High Moderate Low
30%59%11%
n.a.Ireland
G@G /data
Level ofinfluence of the
Centre of Governmentover line ministries
(2013)
Institutions
Source: OECD 2013 Survey on Centre of Government
Women in Government
Primary lawsSubordinateregulations
Stakeholder engagement to inform o�cials about the problem and
possible solutions
Primary lawsSubordinateregulations
Consultation on draft regulations or proposed rules
3%15%65%15%2%
6%9%
62%23%0%
68%6%
18%6%2%
53%18%24%5%0%
Never
For all primary laws /subordinate regulations
For major primary laws /subordinate regulations
For some primary laws /subordinate regulations
NeverNotapplicable
For all primary laws
NeverFor some primary laws
Ireland
G@G /data
Source: OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook (forthcoming)
Stakeholder engagement and consultation (2014)
Regulatory Governance
Strategic public procurement - Objectives(2014)
G@G /data
Public Procurement
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
29.0%
50%
22.4%
Ireland
Source: OECD National Accounts
Procurement expenditure(2013)
% of government expenditures
Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Public Procurement
Public Sector Integrity
2632
6444
Judicial Branch “At risk” areasLegislative BranchExecutive Branch
Low level
Medium level
High level
39
IrelandIrelandIrelandIreland
63
613
Level of disclosure of private interestsacross branches of government
(2014)
Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Managing Conflict of Interest in the Executive Branch and Whistleblower Protection
0.58
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
0.43Ireland
OURdata Index:Open, Useful, ReusableGovernment Data (2014)
Composite indexfrom 0 lowest to 1 highest
Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Open Government Data
Support for greenpublic procurement
A strategy / policy has been developed by some procuring entities
A strategy / policy has been developed at a central level
Support forSMEs
Support for innovativegoods and services
13 26 1
A strategy / policy has been rescinded
A strategy / policy has never been developed
2 10 25 0 3 10 23 0 3
Ireland
GOVERNMENT OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES
Notes Fiscal balance as reported in the System of National Accounts (SNA) framework, also referred to as net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of government, is calculated as total government revenues minus total government expenditures. Structural fiscal balance, or underlying balance, represents the fiscal balance adjusted for the state of the economic cycle (as measured by the output gap which resulted as the dif ference between actual and potential GDP) and one-off fiscal operations. Government gross debt is reported according to the SNA definition, which dif fers from the definition applied under the Maastricht Treaty. It is defined as all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. All debt instruments are liabilities, but some liabilities such as shares, equity and financial derivatives are not debt.
Core Government Results and Service Delivery
Out of pocket expenditure as a % of final household consumption Access to healthcare (2012)
Source: OECD Health Statistics 2014
Satisfaction and confidence across public services (2014)
71%
Judicial system
Education system
67%
20
40
60
80
100
Health care
67%83%
54%67%
National government42%46%
Ireland
Average
Range
Source: Gallup World Poll
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
IrelandTop10%
-8.8%
Bottom10%
-6.1%
Top10%
Bottom10%
-1.6% -0.8%
Changes in household disposable income,by income group (2007-2011)
Source: OECD Income Distribution Database
Limited government powers(2014)
Irelandn.a.
0.76
[0.37-0.92]
Source: The World Justice Project
Equity in learning outcomes (2012)PISA mathematics score variance by socio economic background
14.8%
5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
14.6%Ireland
Source: OECD, PISA 2012 results: Excellence through equity, 2013
% of citizens expressing confidence/satisfaction
Government at a Glance 2015With a focus on public administration, OECD Government at a Glance 2015 provides readers with a dashboard of key indicators assembled with the
goal of contributing to the analysis and international comparison of public sector performance across OECD countries. Indicators on public finances
and employment are provided alongside composite indexes summarising aspects of public management policies, and indicators on services to
citizens in health care, education, and justice. Government at a Glance 2015 also includes indicators on key governance and public management
issues, such as regulatory management, budgeting practices and procedures, public sector integrity, public procurement and core government
results in terms of trust in institutions, income redistribution and efficiency and cost-effectiveness of governments.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/gov_glance-2015-en
The Excel spreadsheets used to create the tables and figures in Government at a Glance 2015 are available via the StatLinks provided throughout the publication:
For more information on the data (including full methodology and figure notes)and to consult all other Country Fact Sheets: www.oecd.org/gov/govataglance.htm
2.8%
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5%
3.2%Ireland
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