Tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland
Ireland: Tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs was 22.5 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
22.5
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
43rd
of 44 countries
All-time high
27.5
in 2000
All-time low
20.7
in 2007
Years of data
26
2000–2025
Tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland, 2000–2025
Source: Eurostat.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland is 22.5, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland peaked at 27.5 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 20.7, in 2007.
Ireland ranks 43rd of 44 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27.5 | — |
| 2001 | 24.8 | -9.8% |
| 2002 | 23.2 | -6.5% |
| 2003 | 23.2 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 22.8 | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 22.2 | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 21.6 | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 20.7 | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 20.8 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 23.2 | +11.5% |
| 2010 | 24.2 | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 24 | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 24.2 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 25.2 | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 25.3 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 24.9 | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 24.3 | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 24 | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 24.3 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 25.5 | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 26.1 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 27.1 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 26.8 | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 26.7 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 23.5 | -12.0% |
| 2025 | 22.5 | -4.3% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 22.5 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.25, 60% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 22.5 is below the median for high income countries, which is 36.4, 62% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23 | 20.7 | 27.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.59 | 24 | 25.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.45 | 22.5 | 27.1 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 40 United Kingdom 26.1 compare
- 41 United Kingdom 25.3 compare
- 42 Cyprus 24.1 compare
- 44 Switzerland 20 compare
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland?
- Tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs in Ireland was 22.5 in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5 in 2000.
- What is the lowest tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.7 in 2007.
- How does Ireland rank for tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs?
- Ireland ranks 43rd out of 44 countries with data for 2025.
- Is tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Tax rate on low wage earners - tax wedge on labour costs. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).