Ireland vs Spain: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits
Ireland
1.3%
in 2021
Spain
1.5%
in 2021
Ireland rank
35th
Spain rank
33rd
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits over time
- Ireland
- Spain
How they compare
Spain currently reports 1.5% against 1.3% in Ireland, a difference of 0.2%.
That makes Spain's figure about 1.1 times Ireland's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 35th and Spain ranks 33rd of 41 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 4 and Spain in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.4% | 0.3% | 1.1% | Ireland |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 0.5% | 1.6% | Ireland |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 1.1% | 1.6% | Ireland |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 1.1% | Ireland |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.5% | 0.1% | Spain |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher female employment vs. public spending on family benefits, Ireland or Spain?
- Spain, at 1.5% against 1.3% in Ireland as of 2021.
- What is the difference in female employment vs. public spending on family benefits between Ireland and Spain?
- 0.2%, with Spain ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Spain?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Ireland and Spain rank globally for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Ireland ranks 35th and Spain ranks 33rd of 41 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- OECD (2025) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in family programs.