This chapter contains information on aspects of the green economy in Ireland, based on data taken from CSO publications. A wide series of indicators are covered including environment taxes and subsides, domestic material consumption, fisheries, energy prices, building energy ratings, gas, electricity and water consumption, and outputs of environmental goods and services. These indicators are all taken from other CSO publications and provide a picture of change in green economy over time in Ireland.
Environment taxes in Ireland amounted to €5.5 billion in 2024 which was up 10.8% on the 2023 figure of €4.9 billion. This was also the highest amount collected over the entire 2000-2024 period.
However, environment taxes as a percentage of total taxes fell from an average of 8.8% between 2010-2014 to 4.3% in 2024 reflecting the rapid rise in overall taxes over this time-period.
Energy taxes accounted for 63.5% of total environment taxes in 2024, while transport taxes accounted for 35.9% of the total. Pollution and resource taxes contributed just 0.5% of total environment taxes in 2024.
Environmental subsidies and similar transfers in Ireland were €1.8 billion in 2023, up 14.7% from the 2022 figure of €1.6 billion.
Subsidies associated with energy savings and management increased from 0.3% of all environmental subsidies in 2000-2004 to 18.6% in 2023. Subsidies associated with wastewater management declined from an average 51.3% of total environment subsidies in 2000-2004 to 28.8% in 2023, while those associated with the protection of biodiversity fell from 28.5% to 25.6% over this period.
In 2024, consumers of petrol paid an average effective rate of €274 per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted, up 21.8% from 2023. The average effective carbon rate on auto diesel at €207 per tonne in 2024 was also up 21.8% on 2023. By contrast, the rate for jet kerosene was just €24 per tonne in 2024, down 17.2% from €29 in 2023.
In 2023, €3.030 billion was raised in energy taxes in Ireland, up 14.4% from the 2022 figure of €2.648 billion.
Environment subsidies related to energy and air emissions increased steadily from 2000 to 2022 when they reached €705 million. But this figure fell in 2023 by 15.0% to €600 million in 2023.
Fossil fuel subsidies were €4.978 billion in 2023, up 4.9% from €4.744 billion in 2022, and up 74.2% on the 2021 figure of €2.857 billion. This trend reflects the fact that a number of temporary Government support measures, including direct subsidies to households and tax rate reductions on petrol and diesel, introduced in 2022 were continued in 2023, in response to rising energy prices.
| Year | Energy taxes | Environment subsidies (energy and air emissions) | Fossil fuel subsidies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.5 | 0 | 1.5 |
| 2001 | 1.4 | 0 | 1.6 |
| 2002 | 1.7 | 0 | 1.7 |
| 2003 | 1.8 | 0 | 1.6 |
| 2004 | 2.1 | 0 | 1.8 |
| 2005 | 2.2 | 0 | 2.3 |
| 2006 | 2.2 | 0 | 2.5 |
| 2007 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| 2008 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 3.1 |
| 2009 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 2.8 |
| 2010 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 2.8 |
| 2011 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 2.7 |
| 2012 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 2.8 |
| 2013 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 2.7 |
| 2014 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
| 2015 | 3 | 0.2 | 2.9 |
| 2016 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 2.8 |
| 2017 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 3.3 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0.4 | 3.1 |
| 2020 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 2.9 |
| 2022 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0.6 | 5 |
The based period for the consumer price index for energy products in Ireland is set at 100 for December 2006. Prices fell in 2024 for most energy products including Electricity and Gas.
The price index for electricity decreased by 17.7% from 304 in 2023 to 250 in 2024.
Gas price figures also fell by 15.9% from an index value of 256 in 2023 to 215 in 2024.
In contrast, petrol and auto diesel price indices increased by 3.8% and 2.6% respectively in 2024 compared with 2023.
| Year | Electricity | Solid fuels | Petrol | Auto diesel | Gas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 65.5 | 68 | 87.5 | 82.9 | 48.8 |
| 2001 | 65.7 | 73.5 | 81 | 72.9 | 49.9 |
| 2002 | 71.5 | 76.5 | 83.9 | 75.9 | 50.1 |
| 2003 | 79.2 | 78.7 | 84.5 | 78.5 | 53 |
| 2004 | 84.8 | 81.5 | 92.8 | 86.8 | 55.6 |
| 2005 | 96 | 87.7 | 100.7 | 99.4 | 64.7 |
| 2006 | 100 | 94.4 | 107.5 | 104.7 | 81.8 |
| 2007 | 111.6 | 102.6 | 108.9 | 105.1 | 90.6 |
| 2008 | 114.3 | 112 | 116.9 | 121.7 | 91.2 |
| 2009 | 115.8 | 120.5 | 107.7 | 99.3 | 93.7 |
| 2010 | 111.7 | 117.5 | 126.7 | 119.4 | 83.6 |
| 2011 | 119.1 | 118.2 | 144.2 | 138.7 | 89.1 |
| 2012 | 132.6 | 118.6 | 157.7 | 151.4 | 102.7 |
| 2013 | 140 | 123 | 153.1 | 146.1 | 109.5 |
| 2014 | 145 | 131 | 147.8 | 140.5 | 111.8 |
| 2015 | 144.8 | 134.8 | 132.8 | 122.3 | 109.2 |
| 2016 | 139.7 | 134.3 | 124.3 | 111.1 | 105.9 |
| 2017 | 138.3 | 133.9 | 132.2 | 120.7 | 104.2 |
| 2018 | 148 | 134.8 | 139.7 | 129.7 | 109.3 |
| 2019 | 152.7 | 137.3 | 138.6 | 130 | 116.6 |
| 2020 | 153.2 | 139.5 | 134.4 | 124.1 | 111.6 |
| 2021 | 172.2 | 146.1 | 148.7 | 138.2 | 120.3 |
| 2022 | 244.1 | 189.3 | 181.1 | 184.9 | 190.9 |
| 2023 | 303.9 | 224.2 | 165.2 | 162.7 | 256 |
| 2024 | 250 | 209.3 | 171.5 | 166.9 | 215.2 |
Figure 1.3 and Table 1.5 contain information on the domestic extraction of resources, physical trade and domestic material consumption for Ireland over the 1995-2023 period.
Domestic extraction in Ireland increased from 82.6 million tonnes in 1995 to 160.2 million tonnes in 2007, before falling to 76.2 million tonnes in 2011. By 2023 the figure had increased to 96.5 million tonnes.
The physical trade balance (imports minus exports in tonnes) was positive for the entire 1995-2023 period. Trade imports were more than double trade exports for every year in this period. In 2023 trade imports exceeded exports by 24.2 million tonnes, the fourth highest since 1995.
Domestic Material Consumption (DMC) refers to domestic extraction plus trade imports and minus trade exports. DMC increased from 96.2 million tonnes in 1995 to 187.8 million tonnes in 2007, before falling to 95.4 million tonnes in 2011. By 2023 DMC had increased to 120.7 million tonnes.
| Year | Domestic extraction | Trade Imports | Trade exports | Domestic material consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 82.6 | 24.4 | 10.8 | 96.2 |
| 1996 | 85.8 | 25.2 | 10.4 | 100.6 |
| 1997 | 89.8 | 27.2 | 11.5 | 105.6 |
| 1998 | 95.9 | 30.3 | 12.2 | 114.1 |
| 1999 | 106.5 | 29.6 | 12.1 | 124 |
| 2000 | 117.2 | 31.9 | 13.5 | 135.7 |
| 2001 | 117.7 | 31.7 | 12.8 | 136.6 |
| 2002 | 118.1 | 34.3 | 13.6 | 138.8 |
| 2003 | 139.2 | 33 | 12.5 | 159.7 |
| 2004 | 146.3 | 36.7 | 14.2 | 168.8 |
| 2005 | 147.3 | 37.5 | 14.2 | 170.7 |
| 2006 | 155.9 | 38.8 | 14.7 | 180 |
| 2007 | 160.2 | 42.3 | 14.7 | 187.8 |
| 2008 | 139.1 | 38.9 | 14.9 | 163.1 |
| 2009 | 104.7 | 33.4 | 13.2 | 124.9 |
| 2010 | 89.3 | 35.8 | 14.7 | 110.4 |
| 2011 | 76.2 | 34.9 | 15.7 | 95.4 |
| 2012 | 77.3 | 34.8 | 16.4 | 95.7 |
| 2013 | 81.3 | 36.6 | 15.7 | 102.2 |
| 2014 | 80.3 | 36.4 | 16.7 | 100 |
| 2015 | 82.6 | 39.1 | 18.5 | 103.3 |
| 2016 | 90.9 | 38.7 | 18.8 | 110.8 |
| 2017 | 95.1 | 40.3 | 18.5 | 117 |
| 2018 | 99 | 43.9 | 18.3 | 124.5 |
| 2019 | 103.9 | 41.5 | 18.3 | 127.1 |
| 2020 | 96.3 | 40.5 | 18.6 | 118.3 |
| 2021 | 94.3 | 43.7 | 19.3 | 118.7 |
| 2022 | 99.6 | 44.5 | 19.1 | 125 |
| 2023 | 96.5 | 42.3 | 18.1 | 120.7 |
Fish landings by Irish vessels in Irish ports were stable between 2022 and 2023 at 156,900 tonnes. The 2023 figure was the second lowest over the entire 2007-2023 period.
Blue Whiting was the most common fish species landed in Irish ports by Irish vessels, at 31% of the total in 2023, up from 11% in 2007. Atlantic Mackerel accounted for 26% of the total in 2023 compared with 16% in 2007. By contrast, Atlantic Herring fell from 16% of the total catch in 2007 to under 1% in 2023, while Horse Mackerel fell from 18% to 1% over the same period.
Dwellings built in recent years are considerably more energy efficient than those constructed in earlier periods, with 98.7% of those constructed during 2020-2024 given an A building energy rating, compared with 2.5% in 2000-2004.
In contrast the proportion of dwellings with an F or G building energy rating fell from 27.5% in dwellings constructed during 1700-1977 to 0% after 2009.
| Year | A | B | C | D | E | F-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1700-1977 | 3.1 | 8.8 | 20.5 | 22.5 | 17.6 | 27.5 |
| 1978-1999 | 2.9 | 14.6 | 41 | 28.5 | 9 | 4 |
| 2000-2004 | 2.5 | 20.4 | 55.7 | 16.3 | 3.8 | 1.2 |
| 2005-2009 | 5 | 41.5 | 44.3 | 7 | 1.7 | 0.5 |
| 2010-2014 | 37.6 | 54.1 | 6.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| 2015-2019 | 93.9 | 5.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-2024 | 98.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The average monthly domestic metered public water consumption per meter per day in 2022 was 357 litres. This was an 7.5% decrease compared with the 2014 average of 386 litres.
The median monthly consumption per meter per day in 2022 at 261 litres was 2.0% higher than the 2014 figure of 256 litres.
The median monthly consumption per meter per day was 73.1% of the average in 2022 compared with 2014 when it was 66.3% of the average.
In 2024, Ireland’s total gas consumption through the network was 53,856 gigawatt hours, which is an increase of 2.4% from 2023.
Power plants were responsible for 64.5% of the total gas consumption in 2023, while the non-residential sector used 24.0% and the residential sector accounted for 11.5% of the total gas used in 2024.
In 2024, Ireland’s total metered electricity consumption was 31,903 gigawatt hours, up 4.3% from the 2023 figure of 30,581 gigawatt hours.
Large users, including the largest data centres and cement plants, were responsible for 31.0% of metered electricity consumption in 2024, up significantly from 14.8% in 2015. The residential sector (urban and rural) consumed 28.0% of metered electricity in 2024, down from 34.0% in 2015. Other energy users, such as low and medium voltage business, fell from 51.2% in 2015 to 40.9% in 2024.
| Most popular makes of new cars, November 2025 | |
| Large energy users | 31 |
| Urban residential users | 18.3 |
| Rural residential users | 9.7 |
| Other non-residential users | 40.9 |
The volume of excise clearances for auto diesel fell slightly from 3,594 million litres in 2023 to 3,539 billion litres in 2024.
The volume of fuel excise clearances for unleaded petrol increased slightly from 1,010 million litres in 2023 to 1,067 million litres in 2024.
Marked gas oil clearances increased from 1,016 million litres in 2023 to 1,123 million litres in 2024.
The volume of excise clearances for kerosene increased from 918 million litres in 2023 to 973 million litres in 2024.
Gross output by the environment goods and services sector was €10.7 billion in 2022, an increase of 21.4% on 2021. Gross output of this sector, as a percentage of modified gross national income, was stable over the 2010-2022 period and was 4.0% in 2022.
Environment protection activities accounted for €4.6 billion (43.1%) of total environment goods and services sector gross output in 2022, while resource management activities accounted for €6.1 billion (56.9%) of gross output in the same year.
In 2024, the amount of wood removed from forests increased by 3.1% going from 3.779 million tonnes in 2023 to 3.896. million. The 2024 figure was 30.0% higher than the 2015 figure of 3 million tonnes.
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