Two-way investment brief

Australia–Ireland

At the end of 2025, investors from Ireland held A$13.8 bn of direct investment in Australia, making it Australia’s 14th-largest source of foreign direct investment (1.1% of the total). That stock fell 6.2% over the year and has grown 12.9% a year on average over the past decade. Ireland was Australia’s 21st-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$6.9 bn; 0.5% of Australia’s trade). Globally, Ireland was the world’s 10th-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($67.1 bn, World Bank).

Data (CSV)Ireland global profile

Ireland direct investment in Australia

A$13.8 bn

−6.2%vs 202414th largest

Total Ireland investment in Australia

A$56.3 bn

16th largest · 1.1%

Australian direct investment in Ireland

—

Total Australian investment in Ireland

A$87.6 bn

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–Ireland

Ireland in Australia
Australia in Ireland

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Ireland’s investment in Australia by type

Direct investment
Portfolio investment
Other investment

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Annual direct investment flows

Net transactions during the year; negative = net disinvestment

Ireland → Australia
Australia → Ireland

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Trade relationship

Australia–Ireland trade

Investment and trade move together: the partners that invest most in Australia are usually major trading partners too. Goods trade is recorded monthly (latest: July 2026); services annually.

Two-way trade, 2025

A$6.9 bn

21st largest partner · 0.5%

Goods exports to Ireland, 2025

A$86 m

12 months to July 2026: A$83 m

Goods imports from Ireland, 2025

A$2.5 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$3.0 bn

Services trade, 2025

A$4.4 bn

Exports A$1.2 bn · imports A$3.2 bn

Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

Exports to Ireland
Imports from Ireland

Source: ABS, International Merchandise Trade (MERCH_EXP / MERCH_IMP), summed to calendar years.

Services trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS international trade in services by country)

Exports to Ireland
Imports from Ireland

Source: ABS, International Trade in Services by Country, calendar years.

Economic outlook

Ireland’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook	2024	2025	2026forecast	2027forecast	2028forecast
Real GDP growth	2.6%	12.3%	2.5%	2.4%	2.6%
Inflation	1.3%	2.1%	3.1%	2.4%	1.9%
Unemployment rate	4.3%	4.7%	4.8%	4.8%	4.8%
Current account, % GDP	16.2%	8.2%	8.1%	8.1%	8.0%
Fiscal balance, % GDP	4.0%	1.5%	0.6%	0.7%	0.7%
Government gross debt, % GDP	38.3%	32.9%	31.6%	30.3%	29.1%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

2025 at a glance

New FDI from Ireland: A$2.0 bn
New Australian FDI in Ireland: —
Direct investment income paid to investors: A$1.4 bn
Direct investment income earned by Australians: —

Ireland globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024: $67.1 bn · 10th
FDI inflows, 2024: $4.8 bn
GDP, 2025: $722 bn
Region · income: Europe & Central Asia · High income

Regulatory openness (OECD FDIRRI)

OECD index data loading — see FDI openness

Sources: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (cat. 5352.0), 2025 release, released 2026-05-06 — levels at 31 December and calendar-year flows and income, A$ millions, immediate counterparty basis (investment routed via third economies is attributed to the intermediate economy). World Bank WDI (US$). OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. np = not published for confidentiality; included in totalsPrepared independently by FDIstats from public statistics; not an Australian Government publication and not investment advice. For foreign investment rules, see the Treasury and FIRB.