Ireland and the EU at 50

In this section we try to capture some of the economic changes that have occurred between 1973 and 2023 using key economic measures.

Using traditional and newer methods to calculate our economic growth over the last five decades, we can see how our economy has performed. The profile of the types of goods we export and import has changed dramatically over that time, as has the value of these goods. When it comes to inflation, we can see it has risen by more than 1,000% over the last 50 years, and we provide the price of a selection of goods for comparison. We can also see how residential property prices have been influenced by economic factors throughout the decades and chart those changing prices. Our labour market has increased and evolved significantly over this time and the sectors that once dominated have changed in tandem with our developing society, as have earnings and the types of crops we grow.