Back to Top

 Skip navigation

Society

Society

Online ISSN: 2009-5368
CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Ireland: Population distribution by age group

  • Table 1.1 shows Ireland's population was estimated at 5.3 million in April 2023, an increase of 1.9% (i.e. 97,600 persons) on 2022. The population has risen by 666,900 persons, or 14.5%, since 2013.
  • The proportion of the population aged 65 years or over increased from 12.3% in 2013 to 15.3% in 2023. The proportion aged 45-64 years also increased, from 23.1% in 2013 to 25.3% in 2023.
  • Conversely the proportion of the population aged 25-44 years decreased from 30.8% in 2013 to 27.6% in 2023, while the proportion aged 0-14 years decreased from 21.5% in 2013 to 19.2% in 2023. The proportion aged 15-24 years rose slightly from 12.2% in 2013 to 12.6% in 2023.
  • Ireland can be seen to have an ageing population over the last 10 years, as the proportion of people aged 45 or over increased from 35.4% in 2013 to 40.6% in 2023, whereas the proportion aged under 45 decreased from 64.5% in 2013 to 59.4% in 2023.
Table 1.1 Ireland: Population distribution by age group

By country: Population

  • Ireland had the third highest percentage increase (14.4%) in population among the European Union 27 (EU27) countries between 2013 and 2023, after Malta (28.3%) and Luxembourg (23.0%). Overall the EU27 population increased by 1.7% (see Table 1.2).
  • Ten countries in the EU27 experienced a decline in population between 2013 and 2023: Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Greece, Romania, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Italy and Portugal (see Figure 1.1).
  • Bulgaria had the biggest percentage fall in population at -11.5%, while Malta had the largest increase at 28.3%.
  • Germany had the largest population in the EU27 in 2023 at 84.4 million people, over 16 times the size of Ireland's population (5.3m), but just below that of EU candidate country Türkiye, which had a population of 85.3m people.
Country% Change
Malta28.3
Luxembourg23
Ireland14.4
Sweden10.1
Austria7.7
Cyprus6.3
Netherlands6.1
Denmark5.9
Belgium5.4
Germany4.8
France3.9
Estonia3.5
Czechia3
Spain2.9
Slovenia2.8
Finland2.5
European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)1.7
Slovakia0.3
Portugal-0.2
Italy-1.2
Hungary-3.1
Poland-3.4
Lithuania-3.9
Romania-4.8
Greece-5.4
Latvia-7
Croatia-9.6
Bulgaria-11.5
United Kingdom..
Iceland20.5
Switzerland9.7
Norway8.7
Liechtenstein7.7
Türkiye12.8
Albania-4.7
Serbia-7.5
Montenegro..
North Macedonia..
CountryPopulation
Germany84358845
France68172977
Italy58997201
Spain48085361
Poland36753736
Romania19054548
Netherlands17811291
Belgium11742796
Czechia10827529
Sweden10521556
Portugal10467366
Greece10413982
Hungary9599744
Austria9104772
Bulgaria6447710
Denmark5932654
Finland5563970
Slovakia5428792
Ireland5271395
Croatia3850894
Lithuania2857279
Slovenia2116972
Latvia1883008
Estonia1365884
Cyprus920701
Luxembourg660809
Malta542051
United Kingdom
Switzerland8815385
Norway5488984
Iceland387758
Liechtenstein39677
Türkiye85279553
Serbia6664449
Albania2761785
North Macedonia
Montenegro
Table 1.2 By country: Population 2013 and 2023

Ireland: Migration and natural increase

  • The number of emigrants leaving Ireland is estimated to have increased to 64,000 in the 12 months to April 2023, up from 56,100 (14.1%) in 2022 (see Table 1.3).
  • Inward migration to Ireland in the 12 months to April 2023 is estimated at 141,600, an increase of 31.4% from 107,800 in 2022.
  • The combined effect of these trends was positive net migration of 77,600 in 2023 (i.e. more people moved to Ireland than left). This was the highest annual level in the last 10 years and contrasts with the years 2013-2014 when there were more emigrants than immigrants.
  • There were 55,500 births in Ireland in 2023, which was 4,200 less (-7.0%) than in 2022 and down 20.0% on the 69,400 births in 2013. Over the last 10 years the natural increase in the population (i.e. births minus deaths) has decreased from 39,600 in 2013 to 20,000 in 2023.
  • The population is estimated to have increased by 97,600 persons in 2023, compared to an increase of 21,000 in 2013. Overall the population is up by 666,900 persons since 2013.
YearImmigrantsEmigrantsNet migration
20136270081300-18700
20146650075000-8500
201575900700005900
2016823006620016200
2017953005610039200
2018960005160044400
2019971005310044000
2020956005090044700
2021741005230021800
20221078005610051700
20231416006400077600
YearImmigrantsEmigrantsNet migration
20125730083000-25700
20136270081300-18700
20146650075000-8500
201575900700005900
2016823006620016200
2017846006480019800
2018903005630034000
2019886005490033700
2020854005650028900
2021652005400011200
20221207005960061100
Table 1.3 Ireland: Migration and natural increase, 2013-2023

Ireland: Immigration and emigration by country of origin/destination

  • In 2023 there were 141,600 immigrants into Ireland, an increase of 31.4% on 2022. There was an increase in immigration from all regions except the EU15 to EU27 (see Table 1.4).
  • Of those who immigrated, over half (75,800 persons) arrived from the 'rest of the world' (i.e. countries other than the EU27, UK, USA, Australia or Canada). This was up 25.3% from 60,500 in 2022.
  • About 18,400 persons immigrated to Ireland from the UK in 2023, which was up 43.8% on the previous year, and there were increases from the EU14 (+118.5%), Canada (+227.3%) and Australia (+148.4%).
  • The number of people emigrating from Ireland to the UK in 2023 was 14,600, up 9.0% from 13,400 in 2022. In total, 22,700 persons emigrated to the EU27, up 27.5% on 2022, 4,900 emigrated to the US (-22.2%), and 5,300 to Canada (+26.2%).
  • A total of 64,000 persons emigrated from Ireland in 2022, up 14.1% from 56,100 in 2022. The number of persons immigrating to Ireland exceeded the numbers emigrating to every region classified in Table 1.4, with the classification 'rest of the world' having the highest net migration in 2023 at 64,100.
YearAustraliaCanadaEU14 excluding UK and IrelandEU15 to EU27United KingdomUnited StatesRest of the world
201360001900116001070011700400016700
201454002200117001080013500440018600
201558002700119001190016400440022800
201669003100147001190018200530022200
201780003600172001380021100610025600
201875002700159001160021300780029100
201963002600155001000021600670034400
20207800310015500920017600600036400
2021580060007900870021700550018400
20223100220081001680012800430060500
20237700720017700890018400590075800
YearAustraliaCanadaEU14 excluding UK and IrelandEU15 to EU27United KingdomUnited StatesRest of the world
201254001700102001010010100530014500
201360001900116001070011700400016700
201454002200117001080013500440018600
201558002700119001190016400440022800
201669003100147001190018200530022200
201771003200151001220018700540022800
201872002500149001100020100730027400
20195800240014000910019700620031400
20206400290013800870015300550032800
2021510052006900770019100490016300
202263005000167001210016100700057600
Table 1.4 Ireland: Immigration and emigration by country of origin/destination, 2018-2023

By country: Young and old age dependency ratios

  • In 2022 Ireland had the highest young-age dependency ratio (the percentage of the population aged under 15 years as a proportion of those aged 15-64) in the EU at 30.2% (see Table 1.5).
  • Ireland had the second lowest old-age dependency ratio (the percentage of the population aged 65 or over as a proportion of those aged 15-64) in the EU27 at 23.1%.
  • This had the combined effect of a young and old age dependency ratio of 53.2% in Ireland, which was 3.3 percentage points less than the EU27 average of 56.5% in 2022.
  • France had the highest combined dependency ratio in the EU in 2022 at 62.5% while Luxembourg had the lowest at 44.2%.
Table 1.5 By country: Young and old age dependency ratios, 2022

By country: Total fertility rate

  • Ireland had a fertility rate of 1.8 in 2021. This tied with France, Czechia and Romania as the highest rate in the EU27.
  • Malta had the lowest fertility rate in the EU27 in 2021 at 1.1.
  • Spain had the second lowest fertility rate in 2021, at 1.2. Most Mediterranean countries had lower fertility rates than the EU27 average of 1.5.
  • All countries in the EU27 fell below the theoretical replacement fertility rate of 2.1 in 2021.
Table 1.6 By country: Total fertility rates, 2017-2021

By country: Proportion of live births outside of marriage and mean age of woman at birth of first child

  • The average age of first time mothers in Ireland increased from 30.1 years in 2016 to 31.2 in 2021 (see Table 1.7). 
  • The EU27 average age of first time mothers in 2021was 29.7 years. Bulgaria had the lowest average age at 26.5 years and Spain and Italy had the joint highest at 31.6 years.
  • In the EU27, more than half of live births occurred outside of marriage in six countries in 2021: France (63.5%), Portugal (60.0%), Bulgaria (59.9%) Slovenia (57.7%),  Netherlands (55.6%) and Denmark (54.7%).
  • The proportion of live births outside marriage in Ireland was 41.8% in 2021, up from 36.7% in 2016.
  • The EU27 country with the lowest proportion of births outside marriage in 2021 was Greece, at 16.5%.
Table 1.7 EU27: Proportion of births outside of marriage and mean age of women at birth of first child, 2016-2021

By country: Divorce rates

  • Ireland had the second lowest divorce rate in the EU27 in 2021, at 0.9 divorces per 1,000 persons. Malta had the lowest rate at 0.6 divorces per 1,000 persons (see Table 1.8).
  • The average divorce rate in the EU27 in 2021 was 1.7 divorces per 1,000 persons.
  • Lithuania had the highest divorce rate in the EU27 in 2021 (of the countries for which data was available), at 2.8 per 1,000 persons, followed by Latvia at 2.5 and Sweden at 2.3.
Table 1.8 EU27: Divorce rates, 2011, 2016 and 2021

By country: At risk of poverty rates

  • In 2022 Ireland had an at risk of poverty rate of 41.6% before social transfers and pensions. This was 1.9 percentage points below the EU27 average of 43.5% (see Table 1.9).
  • After social transfers and pensions, the proportion of those at risk of poverty in Ireland decreased by 27.6 percentage points down to 14.0%. This was 2.5 percentage points below the EU27 average of 16.5%.
  • Bulgaria had the highest at risk of poverty rate in 2022 after social transfers and pensions at 22.9%, while Czechia had the lowest at 10.2%.
Table 1.9 EU27: At risk of poverty rates, 2022

Ireland: At risk of poverty and consistent poverty rates by age group

  • In 2022, 13.1% of all persons in Ireland were considered at risk of poverty. People aged 65 years or over had the highest at risk of poverty rate at 19.0% and people aged 18-34 had the lowest rate at 7.8% (see Table 1.10).
  • Almost one in every nineteen people in Ireland was in consistent poverty in 2022 (5.3%). This was an increase from one in twenty-five people (4.0%) in 2021.
  • People aged 0-17 had the highest rate of consistent poverty in 2022 at 7.5%, followed by those aged 50-64 at 6.6%. People aged 65+ had the lowest rate of consistent poverty at 3.3%.
  • All age groups saw increases in consistent poverty rates in 2022 compared with 2021, while all age groups except those aged 18-34 saw an increase in the at risk of poverty rate.
Age GroupAt risk of poverty rateConsistent poverty rate
0-1715.27.5
18-347.84
35-4910.74.6
50-6414.66.6
65+193.3
State13.15.3
Table 1.10 Ireland: At risk of poverty and consistent poverty rates by age group, 2020-2022

Ireland: At risk of poverty and consistent poverty by household composition

  • In 2022, households of one adult aged 65 years or over had the highest at risk of poverty rate at 33.6%, up from 21.5% the year before. Households of one adult aged under 65 had an at risk of poverty rate of 32.0% (see Table 1.11).
  • Consistent poverty rates in 2022 were highest in households of one adult aged under 65 years, at 14.5%, followed by households of one adult with children aged under 18 at 14.1%.
  • Households of three or more adults had the lowest at risk of poverty rate in 2022 at 4.7%. Households with two adults, at least one aged 65 years or over, had the lowest consistent poverty rate of 1.6%.
Table 1.11 Ireland: At risk of poverty and consistent poverty rates by household composition, 2020-2022

Ireland: At risk of poverty and consistent poverty rates by principal economic status

  • In 2022, the group in Ireland with the highest at risk of poverty rate was those who were unemployed with a rate of 35.6%, up from 23.2% the previous year. This group was followed by those who were unable to work due to long-standing health problems with a rate of 35.2% (see Table 1.12).
  • The consistent poverty rate in 2022 was highest among persons who were unable to work due to long-standing health problems at 19.7%, or almost one in five. The consistent poverty rate for those who were unemployed was 18.0%.
  • People who were employed had the lowest at risk of poverty rate in 2022 at 5.8% and the lowest rate of consistent poverty at 2.3%.
Principal economic statusAt risk of povertyConsistent poverty
Employed5.82.3
Unemployed35.618
Retired19.13.8
Unable to work due to long-standing health problems35.219.7
Student, pupil13.76.6
Fulfilling domestic tasks23.87.9
State13.15.3
Table 1.12 Ireland: At risk of poverty and consistent poverty rates by principal economic status, 2020-2022

Ireland: Median weekly earnings by sex

  • Between 2013 and 2022, the median weekly earnings across both sexes combined increased from €530.00 to €670.90 (see Table 1.13).
  • Median weekly earnings in 2022 were €741.86 for males and €592.92 for females. 
  • The difference in median weekly earnings between males and females decreased from €120.89 in 2013 to €116.70 in 2015. It then increased to €143.12 by 2019 before falling to €129.33 in 2020. By 2022 the gender differential had widened to €148.94 (see Figure 1.7).
YearDifference
2013120.89
2014117.67
2015116.7
2016120.04
2017126.52
2018136.63
2019143.12
2020129.33
2021141.65
2022148.94
Table 1.13 Ireland: Median weekly earnings by sex, 2013-2022

By country: Gender pay gap

  • The gender pay gap is defined as the difference between male and female gross hourly earnings as a percentage of average gross hourly male earnings. 
  • In 2010, Ireland had a gender pay gap of 13.9% and this decreased to 12.2% in 2012. The gender pay gap increased to 14.4% in 2017, before falling to 9.9% in 2020 (see Figure 1.8).
  • Ireland's gender pay gap was the eighth lowest (jointly with Cyprus) in the EU27 in 2020 (of the countries for which data was available), and was 3.0 percentage points below the EU27 average of 12.9% (see Table 1.14).
  • Latvia had the highest gender pay gap in 2020, at 22.3%. Luxembourg had the lowest, at 0.7%.
YearPay gap
201013.9
201112.7
201212.2
201312.9
201413.9
201513.9
201614.2
201714.4
201811.3
201910.8
20209.9
Table 1.14 EU27: Gender pay gap, 2016-2020

By country: Net Official Development Assistance

  • Table 1.15 shows that in 2022, Net Official Development Assistance (ODA) was 0.6% of Gross National Income (GNI) for Ireland. Additionally, it accounted for 0.8% of Ireland's Modified GNI (GNI*). In 2022 the ODA figures included eligible first-year costs for hosting Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine in Ireland, as well as refugees from other countries.
  • The proportion of Ireland's GNI spent on ODA in 2022 increased from 0.3% in each of the years 2015 to 2021 (see Figure 1.9), while the proportion of GNI* spent increased from 0.4%.
  • Excluding costs relating to Temporary Protection recipients from Ukraine, Ireland's ODA amounted to 0.4% of GNI in 2022 and 0.5% of GNI*.
  • In all, five countries in the EU27 attained the United Nations (UN) target ODA of 0.7% of GNI in 2022: Luxembourg (1.0%), Sweden (0.9%), Germany (0.8%), Denmark (0.7%) and Netherlands (0.7%). Outside the EU27, Norway (1.0%) and Türkiye (0.8%) also attained the target.
YearODA as a % of GNIODA as a % of GNI*UN Target % GNI
20120.40.50.7
20130.40.50.7
20140.40.40.7
20150.30.40.7
20160.30.40.7
20170.30.40.7
20180.30.40.7
20190.30.40.7
20200.30.40.7
20210.30.40.7
20220.60.80.7
Table 1.15 By country: Net Official Development Assistance, 2018-2022

Private households with internet access

  • The proportion of households in Ireland with access to the internet increased from 91% in 2019 to 94% in 2023 (see Table 1.16).
  • Ireland's rate of household internet access was above the EU27 average of 93% in 2023 and equal to that of Belgium, Slovenia and Malta, but lower than that of seven other countries.
  • Nearly all households (99%) in Luxembourg and the Netherlands had access to the internet, while in Finland the rate was 97%, in Spain and Denmark it was 96%, and in Austria and Sweden it was 95%.
  • Greece had the lowest rate of household internet access in the EU27 at 87%, while Bulgaria, Lithuania and Portugal also had rates lower than 90%.
Table 1.16 By country: Private households with internet access, 2019-2023