892. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the trend in total public expenditure over the past decade; the way these trends compare with key economic indicators including GDP growth, GNI* growth, inflation, and unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56615/26]

Over the period 2015 to 2025, public expenditure has increased significantly growing from €55.5 billion to €109.4 billion, an increase of €54 billion or 97%.

Over the last decade Ireland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) more than doubled, growing from €272.1 billion in 2015 to €602.4 billion in 2025, an increase of €330.3 billion or 121%. Modified Gross National Income (GNI*), which is a more representative measure of domestic activity doubled from €168 billion in 2015 to €334 billion in 2025, an increase of €166 billion or 99%.

Over the last decade the unemployment rate decreased from 9.1% in 2015 to around 4.8% in 2025, with this being consistent with full employment. At the end of 2025, 2.83 million people in Ireland were in employment compared to 2 million in 2015, an increase of c. 800,000 or 40%.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure for inflation in Ireland published by the Central Statistics Office. It averaged 2.2% over the period 2015-2020. Inflation peaked at 8.1 per cent in 2022 but has since moderated to around 2.8% as of 2025, for an average of 4.5% over the period 2020-2025. Over the period 2015 to 2025, cumulative inflation amounted to 26%.

Moving forward, the level of expenditure growth has been set in the Medium-Term Fiscal and Structural Plan published in December of last year. Projections for GDP, GNI*, inflation and unemployment are published twice a year by the Department of Finance. The most recent figures are set out in the Annual Progress Report published earlier this year.