The Irish population is continuing to rise, increasing by 1.5 per cent in the year to last April to 5,458,600, according to new estimates from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). This is a lower level of increase than the previous year, but high inward migration continues to push up the population.
The statistics tell a number of different stories. One is that births are still exceeding deaths, by around 18,600. Ireland is an ageing country, but is still young by comparison with EU neighbours.
The figures also reflect the strong performance of the Irish jobs market, with more than 125,000 immigrants entering in 2024, the bulk of whom are coming here to work, while others are seeking asylum. An increasing proportion of these are from outside the EU as employers seek new labour from countries such as India and Brazil to fill vacant jobs.
This was the fourth year in a row in which immigration exceeded 100,000 and it remains to be seen if some signs of a slowdown in the jobs market – combined with the chronic housing shortage – lead to a decline this year.
RM Block
Alongside a large inflow of people, emigration also remains relatively high at 65,500, albeit slightly lower than the previous year. Some 35,000 of these were Irish people, with a notable rise in Australia as a destination. However, to date, many who leave later return – the so-called boomerang effect – with 31,500 Irish people returning to live at home last year.
The ongoing rise in the population underlies a lot of the key policy issues facing the Government. Most obviously, the much more rapid than expected growth in the economy – and thus the population – in recent years has left Ireland’s economic and social infrastructure lagging well behind, most obviously in housing but also in other areas.
The continued rise in the population has also fuelled debate on asylum policy and – much more significantly in terms of numbers – people coming to Ireland to work and their families. Nationals of EU states and the UK are obviously free to do so. Immigrants from further afield require work visas and the strong growth in recent years reflects demand across the economy – in hospitality, retail, healthcare and the technology sector in particular.
The Government is looking at this visa system and how it is balanced and there will be ongoing judgments to make here in terms of skills needs. The capacity of the economy is another factor – particularly in housing. The surprising thing is that so many continue to come here, despite soaring house prices and rents. Refusing entry to people with important skills does not look like a clever policy, either, for a State whose economic success is largely based on its openness in terms of trade, investment and the movement of people.
