This project uses a new approach to map the general government sector of Ireland in 2019.
Using data from various public sources and financial statements for individual bodies, the data were compiled to develop a better understanding of government spending in Ireland.
The Council embarked on this project, given that discussion of Ireland’s public finances often focusses on the voted Exchequer central part of the State’s balance sheet. However, there are actually many other activities that are part of the wider general government sector, principally local government, extra-budgetary funds and other bodies such as approved housing bodies. At times, these other components can play an important role in how the public finances evolve.
This project was developed by Allan Kelly and Ksenija Semiskura as part of their Summer Internship at the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council in 2021.
Disclaimer: This project represents a new experimental approach to help better understand the general government sector rather than an effort to replicate the work of the Central Statistics Office. Data were shared with key stakeholders prior to release but the Fiscal Council does not accept responsibility for any errors contained in the dataset and users should validate if using for other purposes. We would welcome any feedback users have (admin@fiscalcouncil.ie).