Ireland Credit Ratings & Outlooks
Country | Moody's | S&P | Fitch | DBRS | Scope Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aa3 Positive | AA- Positive | AA- Positive | AA (low) Positive | AA Stable |
Credit Rating History
Country | Date of Change | Rating Agency | Previous Rating | Previous Outlook | Current Rating | Current Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2024 | Scope Ratings | AA- | Positive | AA | Stable | |
| Aug 16, 2024 | Moody's | A3 | Stable | Aa3 | Positive | |
| Mar 22, 2024 | DBRS | AA (low) | Stable | AA (low) | Positive | |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Fitch | A+ | Stable | AA- | Positive | |
| Apr 21, 2023 | Moody's | A2 | Positive | A3 | Stable | |
| Mar 31, 2023 | Scope Ratings | AA- | Stable | AA- | Positive | |
| Nov 18, 2022 | S&P | AA- | Stable | AA- | Positive | |
| Jan 14, 2022 | DBRS | A (high) | Positive | AA (low) | Stable | |
| Aug 13, 2021 | Moody's | A2 | Stable | A2 | Positive | |
| Jul 16, 2021 | DBRS | A (high) | Stable | A (high) | Positive | |
| May 21, 2021 | Scope Ratings | A+ | Positive | AA- | Stable | |
| May 15, 2020 | DBRS | A (high) | Positive | A (high) | Stable | |
| Jan 31, 2020 | DBRS | A (high) | Stable | A (high) | Positive | |
| Jan 17, 2020 | Scope Ratings | A+ | Stable | A+ | Positive | |
| Nov 29, 2019 | S&P | A+ | Stable | AA- | Stable | |
| Dec 15, 2017 | Fitch | A | Stable | A+ | Stable | |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Moody's | A3 | Positive | A2 | Stable | |
| Jul 28, 2017 | Scope Ratings | NR | A+ | Stable | ||
| May 14, 2016 | Moody's | Baa1 | Positive | A3 | Positive | |
| Mar 11, 2016 | DBRS | A | Positive | A (high) | Stable |
Table Key
| Grade | Moody's | S&P | Fitch | DBRS | Scope Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prime | Aaa | AAA | AAA | AAA | AAA |
High Grade | Aa1 | AA+ | AA+ | AA (high) | AA+ |
Aa2 | AA | AA | AA | AA | |
Aa3 | AA- | AA- | AA (low) | AA- | |
Upper Medium Grade | A1 | A+ | A+ | A (high) | A+ |
A2 | A | A | A | A | |
A3 | A- | A- | A (low) | A- | |
Lower Medium Grade | Baa1 | BBB+ | BBB+ | BBB (high) | BBB+ |
Baa2 | BBB | BBB | BBB | BBB | |
Baa3 | BBB- | BBB- | BBB (low) | BBB- | |
Non-investment Grade Speculative | Ba1 | BB+ | BB+ | BB (high) | BB+ |
Ba2 | BB | BB | BB | BB | |
Ba3 | BB- | BB- | BB (low) | BB- | |
Highly Speculative Grade | B1 | B+ | B+ | B (high) | B+ |
B2 | B | B | B | B | |
B3 | B- | B- | B (low) | B- | |
Substantial Risk Grade | Caa1 | CCC+ | CCC+ | CCC | |
Caa2 | CCC | CCC | CCC | CCC | |
Caa3 | CCC- | CCC- | CCC | ||
Extremely Speculative Grade | Ca | CC | CC | CCC | CC |
C | CCC | C | |||
In Default with Little Prospect for Recovery | CD | RD | RD | ||
In Default | SD | SD | |||
C | D | D | D | D | |
DD | DD | ||||
DDD | DDD | ||||
Not Rated | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
FAQ
What is Ireland’s current credit rating?
Ireland’s sovereign credit rating reflects its government’s ability and willingness to meet debt obligations. It is assigned by major agencies such as S&P, Moody’s, Fitch, DBRS, and Scope, and represents how international markets view Ireland’s credit risk.
Has Ireland’s credit rating changed recently?
This page lists the latest rating and outlook actions for Ireland, showing when each agency last reviewed or changed its assessment.
Why does Ireland’s credit rating matter to investors?
Ratings directly affect borrowing costs, investor confidence, and market access. Changes can influence Ireland's bond yields, currency, and equity flows as investors reassess risk.
How does Ireland’s rating compare to other countries?
You can explore how Ireland ranks globally using our Credit Ratings Hub, which displays all countries’ ratings from S&P, Moody’s, Fitch, DBRS, and Scope.
What do outlooks like Positive, Stable, and Negative mean?
They indicate the expected direction of a rating. Positive signals a possible upgrade, Stable means no change is likely, and Negative points to potential downgrade risk
What is the difference between investment grade and speculative grade?
Investment grade (BBB−/Baa3 or higher) means relatively low risk and steady market access. A speculative grade (BB+/Ba1 or lower) signals higher risk and volatility, but can attract yield-seeking investors.
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