Ireland’s economy remained in contraction at the start of 2026, but the pace of decline eased compared with the end of last year, according to the latest quarterly GDP data released on 29 April 2026.
Quarter-over-quarter, Irish GDP fell by 2.0% in the first quarter of 2026, an improvement on the sharper 3.8% decline recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025. The figures indicate that while economic activity is still shrinking, the downturn has moderated compared with the previous three-month period.
The comparison is made on a quarter-over-quarter basis, with the current reading measuring the change in GDP in the first quarter of 2026 versus the fourth quarter of 2025, and the previous figure reflecting the change in GDP in the fourth quarter of 2025 relative to the third quarter of that year.
