There were 53,189 births in 2024, which was 1,337 fewer compared with 2023 (-2.5%), and over the 10-year period from 2014 to 2024 there was a fall of 14,106 births (-21%).
In 2024, the birth rate stood at 9.9 births per 1,000 of population while in 1974 it was 22.1 births per 1,000 of population.
Ireland’s total period fertility rate (TPFR) for 2024 stood at 1.5 and while it continues to be below the replacement level of 2.1, it was joint fourth highest rate in the European Union. In 2014, the TPFR stood at 1.9. The last year the TPFR was above the replacement level was 2010 when it stood at 2.1.
There was a record number of 437 babies born to women 45 years and over in 2024, up 76.2% from 2014.
There were 35,676 deaths in Ireland in 2024, of which 18,700 were males and 16,976 were females. This was an overall increase in deaths of 22% in Ireland since 2014, with an increase of 25.5% in male deaths and 18.3% for females.
The number of people who died aged 100 years and over in 2024 was 289, of which 53 were male and 236 were female.
Neoplasms, which can be benign or malignant (cancerous) growths, accounted for the largest number of deaths in 2024 at 10,699, followed by deaths due to diseases of the circulatory system at 9,542 and 4,341 deaths from diseases of the respiratory system.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (30 October 2026) published the Vital Statistics Annual Report 2024.
Commenting on the Annual Report, Seán O’Connor, Statistician in Life Events and Demography Division, said:
“The CSO’s Vital Statistics Annual Report 2024 provides an abundance of information on both births and deaths across a range of different themes over the 12-month period, such as births by age of mother and nationality. Data produced in relation to deaths in Ireland includes breakdowns by geography, sex, age, and detailed information relating to the underlying cause of death. Note the CSO's Vital Statistics Annual Report is based on the year a birth or death occurred, while the quarterly and yearly summary Vital Statistics reports are based on the year a birth or death was registered.
Births
There were 1,337 fewer births in Ireland in 2024 compared with 2023 (-2.5%), and over the 10-year period from 2014 to 2024 the number of births has fallen by 14,106 births (-21%).
Taking account of the population, and looking at the birth rate, it is clear to see the changes in Ireland over the last 50 years. In 2024, the birth rate stood at 9.9 births per 1,000 of population, down 0.4 when compared with 2023, when the birth rate was 10.3. In 2014, Ireland’s birth rate stood at 14.5 births per 1,000 of population, while looking back 50 years ago, it stood at 22.1 per 1,000 population in 1974.
Age of Mothers
The age at which a mother gives birth in Ireland continues to increase. In 1974, 28.9 years was the average age of a mother giving birth, while in 1994 it stood at 29.9 years, and in 2014 it was 32.4 years. In 2024, this figure was 33.3 years.
There was a 16.4% increase in births to mother's 40 years and over between 2014 (4,135) and 2024 (4,814). The highest number of babies born to women 45 years and over was recorded in 2024 with 437 births, an increase of 76.2% or by 189 births since 2014. In 2024, 1.2% (613) births were to teenage mothers, while 0.8% were to mothers aged 45 years and over. Looking back to 1974, 4.6% (3,158) of births were to teenage mothers, while 0.3% (218) were to mother’s 45 years and over.
Fertility Rate
The total period fertility rate (TPFR) is derived from the age specific fertility rates in the current year. It represents the projected number of children a woman would have if she experienced current age specific fertility rates while progressing from age 15 to 49 years. A value of 2.1 is considered to be the level at which the population would replace itself in the long run, excluding migration.
In 2024, the TPFR for Ireland was 1.5, which was below the replacement level of 2.1. In 2014, the TPFR stood at 1.9, and 50 years ago in 1974 it was 3.6. The last year the TPFR was above the replacement level was 2010 when it stood at 2.1.
Births to First-Time Mothers
First-time mothers accounted for 22,443 or 42.2% of all births occurring in 2024. Within Ireland, Dublin City was the local authority with the highest proportion of first-time mothers. Of the 6,106 births which occurred in Dublin City in 2024, 3,026 of these or 49.6% were first-time mothers. This share was lowest in Mayo, where 34.4 % of the 1,394 births were to first-time mothers.
Births within Marriage/Civil Partnership
Almost six out of every ten births (59.5%) or 31,640 babies in 2024 were born within marriage or civil partnerships in Ireland, with the remaining 21,549 (40.5%) being born outside marriage or civil partnership. Over 50 years this has changed significantly as in 1974, the share of births within marriage or civil partnership stood at 96.6%.
Births by Nationality and by Location
Births to mothers of Irish nationality accounted for almost three-quarters (72%) of births in 2024. This was down from 2023, when the share stood at 73.9%, and a further decline from 2014 when the share was 77.7%.
There were 287 domiciliary or home births in Ireland in 2024, which accounted for 0.5% of total births. Regions such as Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown (1.3%), Kilkenny (1.2%), and Wicklow, (1.1%) amongst others, recorded shares of domiciliary births which were greater than the national average.
Deaths
There were 35,676 deaths in Ireland in 2024, of which 18,700 were males and 16,976 were females. This was an overall increase in deaths of 22% in Ireland since 2014, with an increase of 25.5% for male deaths and 18.3% for females.
In 2024, the annual death rate was 6.6 per 1,000 of population, down from 2023 when the figure stood at 6.7 per 1,000 of population. Although the death rate has not changed much in the last decade, looking back over a longer period shows the long-term reduction in the death rate, which stood at 6.3 deaths per 1,000 of population recorded in 2014, 8.6 deaths per 1,000 of population in 1994, and 11.3 deaths per 1,000 of population in 1974.
In 2024, the most frequent age of death for males was 84 years (3.6%), while for females it was 88 years (3.9%).
Most Common Causes of Death
Neoplasms, which can be benign or malignant (cancerous) growths, accounted for the largest number of deaths in 2024 at 10,699, followed by deaths due to diseases of the circulatory system at 9,542 and 4,341 deaths from diseases of the respiratory system. Deaths due to accidents, suicide, and other external causes accounted for a further 1,875 or 5.3% of all deaths in 2024.
Between 2023 and 2024, there was a 2.3% increase in malignant neoplasm deaths (cancers). Cancers of the bronchus and lungs (ICD-10 code C34) were the most common causes of death which accounted for 2,014 of the 10,451 cancer deaths in 2024. These were followed by 829 cancers of the breast (ICD-10 code C50), 664 cancers of the pancreas (ICD-10 code C25), and 637 cancers of the prostate (ICD-10 code C61).
Infant Deaths
The death of a live-born infant under the age of one is categorised as an infant death. There were 183 infant deaths in 2024 giving an infant mortality rate of 3.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, an increase of 0.1 from 2023. In 1974, the infant mortality rate stood at 17.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Neonatal deaths are deaths of infants at ages under four weeks. There were 136 neonatal deaths in 2024. The neonatal mortality rate per 1,000 live births was 2.6 in 2024, up from 2023 when it stood at 2.5. In 1974, the neonatal mortality rate stood at 11.6.
There were 109 stillbirths registered in 2024 which was one more than in 2023.
Deaths by Location
In terms of where people died in 2024, there were 14,935 deaths (41.9%) that occurred in general and orthopaedic hospitals, 8,466 (23.7%) were domiciliary deaths (deaths that occurred at home), and 6,220 (17.4%) deaths occurred in nursing homes.
For those aged under 35 years, the most common place of death was the home (252 out of 785 deaths), while general and orthopaedic hospitals were the most common location of deaths among those aged over 35 years (14,720 out of 34,891 deaths)."