Balance of International Payments
The Balance of Payments current account, a measure of Ireland’s economic flows with the rest of the world, showed a surplus of €6.5bn in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of €8.3bn compared with the Q1 2024 surplus of €14.9bn due to increases in both the merchandise and services balance being offset by increased outflows of investment income.
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| Current Account |
Q4 2022 | 5.85002694618576 |
Q1 2023 | 9.25099682331505 |
Q2 2023 | 9.03677156955853 |
Q3 2023 | 14.3336175845611 |
Q4 2023 | -0.410091629454137 |
Q1 2024 | 11.8850602788173 |
Q2 2024 | 28.2100323051422 |
Q3 2024 | 16.6227883073788 |
Q4 2024 | 12.6108145847666 |
Q1 2025 | 4.14232073110137 |
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normal
| Merchandise | Services | Primary Income | Secondary Income | Balance on Current Account |
Q4 2022 | 54.578 | -4.849 | -40.621 | -1.224 | 7.884 |
Q1 2023 | 53.764 | 1.052 | -41.815 | -1.196 | 11.805 |
Q2 2023 | 35.785 | 7.184 | -30.46 | -1.161 | 11.348 |
Q3 2023 | 36.843 | 10.763 | -27.863 | -1.113 | 18.629 |
Q4 2023 | 29.667 | -7.28 | -21.524 | -1.382 | -0.52 |
Q1 2024 | 38.814 | 9.294 | -32.043 | -1.174 | 14.891 |
Q2 2024 | 39.533 | 24.485 | -27.382 | -1.156 | 35.481 |
Q3 2024 | 43.816 | 9.876 | -29.68 | -1.034 | 22.978 |
Q4 2024 | 54.445 | 4.8 | -39.849 | -1.219 | 18.178 |
Q1 2025 | 74.219 | -0.41 | -66.175 | -1.048 | 6.586 |
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- Merchandise exports were €113,079m in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of €37,553m compared with the first quarter of 2024. Merchandise imports were €38,860m in first quarter of 2025, an increase of €2,149m over the same period in 2024.
- Service exports at €115,260m increased by €10,207m compared to the first quarter of 2024, mainly due to higher computer services exports which increased by €9,691m.
- Service imports at €115,670m were up €19,911m over the same period in 2024, mainly due to higher business services imports which increased by €16,128m and royalty imports which increased by €4,834m.
- Ireland’s trade balance at €73,810m, all goods and services exports less all goods and services imports increased by €25,702m in the first quarter of 2025 over the same period in 2024.
- Investment income earned abroad at €71,438m, increased by €5,943m compared with one year earlier while investment income payable to foreign investors at €137,720m increased by €40,173m. The overall income balance for the quarter at -€67,223m decreased by €34,006m compared with the same period in 2024.
normal
| Direct Investment | Portfolio Investment | Other Investment | Reserve Assets | Balance on Financial Account |
Q4 2022 | 11.956 | -27.127 | 26.093 | -0.022 | 10.9 |
Q1 2023 | 13.809 | -24.222 | 16.125 | 0.011 | 5.723 |
Q2 2023 | 7.979 | 87.024 | -91.396 | -0.024 | 3.58 |
Q3 2023 | -20.573 | 44.828 | -5.339 | -0.529 | 18.387 |
Q4 2023 | 11.704 | -9.079 | 6.498 | 0.107 | 9.229 |
Q1 2024 | 14.211 | 33.405 | -36.741 | -0.085 | 10.789 |
Q2 2024 | 35.701 | -4.468 | 2.954 | 0.007 | 34.196 |
Q3 2024 | -3.674 | 18.225 | 8.552 | -0.305 | 22.797 |
Q4 2024 | 12.725 | 4.978 | -2.583 | 0.245 | 15.363 |
Q1 2025 | -2.406 | 4.38 | 14.428 | 0.238 | 16.638 |
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- Direct investment in Ireland increased by €15,911m in the first quarter of 2025. This was due to decreases in other capital investment of €38,911m and equity investment of €486m offset by increased reinvested earnings of €55,307m.
- Direct investment abroad increased by €13,505m in the quarter, due to increased reinvested earnings of €15,886m and decreased equity investment of €2,321m and other capital investment of €59m.
- Portfolio investment in foreign assets increased by €103,265m in the quarter due to increased investment in foreign equity and debt instruments (up €55,286m and €47,980m respectively). Portfolio investment in Ireland increased by €98,885m mainly due to an increase in equity investment of €92,570m as well as increased debt instruments of €6,315m.
- Other investment assets grew by €119,878m while other investment liabilities grew by €105,410m in the first quarter of 2025.
Table 1.2 Summary of Current, Capital and Financial Account Balances
Table 1.3 Current and Capital Accounts
Table 1.4 Financial Account
Table 1.5 Current, Capital and Financial Account activity classified by Institutional Sector
Table 1.6 Current and Capital Accounts showing geographical detail
Table 1.7 Financial Account showing geographical detail
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