Ireland's public spending efficiency shows varying performance across sectors. In infrastructure, Ireland lags behind peers and advanced economies in both stock and quality, with investment efficiency below the frontier, indicating potential gains. Key challenges include planning delays, low construction productivity, and labor shortages. In health, while outcomes are strong and improving, capacity constraints such as long waitlists and high occupancy rates persist. Health spending is elevated, with persistent budget overruns suggesting efficiency gains are possible. Using HALE as an output and health expenditure per capita as an input, the efficiency frontier shows substantial potential for improvement. In education, Ireland achieves strong outcomes with spending efficiency at or near the frontier, but faces issues such as skill mismatches and STEM skill shortages. Overall, efficiency gains in infrastructure, health, and education could enhance fiscal buffers, supporting Ireland's competitiveness and resilience amid global uncertainties.
