Charting some of the changes in Ireland’s economic and social history to mark 50 years of Ireland in the EU.
Using census data, we can see that the population of Ireland in 1971 was almost three million. It is interesting to note our population had begun to decline from 1841 to a low of 2.8 million in 1961. Since that point, the population has steadily increased and exceeded the five million threshold for the first time in 171 years to 5.1 million people in Census 2022. This represents a percentage increase of almost 73% between 1971 and 2022.
In 1971, there was an equal 50/50 split in the number of males and females in Ireland, but in 2022, this had changed with females accounting for 51% of the population.
Almost half (47%) the population in 1971 was under 25 years of age, however, by 2022, this had fallen to 32%. In 2022, the population aged 65 and over was more than double that of the same cohort in 1971.
| X-axis label | 1971 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | 47.48 | 32.18 |
| 25 and over and under 65 | 41.44 | 52.74 |
| Over 65 | 11.07 | 15.08 |
The number of private households in Ireland rose from 726,363 in 1971 to 1,841,152 In 2022. It should be noted that the 2022 figure represents all housing, including those in temporary accommodation.
Both in 1971 and 2022, the most common types of households were those comprised of married or cohabitating couples with children, followed by one-person households, and finally married /cohabitating couples-only households.
The percentage of households comprised of married/cohabitating couples without children had almost doubled between 1971 and 2022, from 10.0% of all households, to 19.2%. Looking at the percentage of households comprised of married/cohabitating couples with children and other persons in the household, we can see it went from 9.4% of households in 1971 to only 2.2% in 2022 (See Table 1.1 below).
In 1971 just over one in four private households included people outside of a family unit, while in 2022 this had risen to one in seven.
When classifying the population of those aged one and over, 90% resided in the same address in 1971 as in 1970. Looking at the Census 2022 results, we can see that 90% of those aged one and over, were residing in the same address as in 2021.
| X-axis label | Same Address | Different Address: Same County | Other County | Outside State: Birthplace Ireland | Outside State: Birthplace Elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 94.8724790645008 | 3.09438913414066 | 1.17390186273059 | 0.466512188006797 | 0.392717750621118 |
| 2022 | 92.9467382368894 | 3.74761093904988 | 1.52523976137336 | 0.293897509409554 | 1.48651355327777 |
For those who were resident in a different address, it is interesting to see the increase in the number of those who were born outside Ireland, from only 8% in 1971, to 21% in 2022.
| X-axis label | Different Address: Same County | Other County | Outside State: Birthplace Ireland | Outside State: Birthplace Elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 60.3 | 22.9 | 9.1 | 7.7 |
| 2022 | 53.1 | 21.6 | 4.2 | 21.1 |
Data for Fig 1.3 and Fig 1.4 comes from Census 2022 Profile 1 and Census Historical Results
In terms of the nature of the occupancy of those private households in permanent units, just under 61% of those were owner-occupied in 1971, which had increased to 66% in 2022. Those renting from local authorities accounted for almost 16% of the permanent housing units in 1971, while this had fallen to less than 8% in 2022.
Life Expectancy in Ireland has grown significantly in the 50 years of EU membership, from 71.15 in 1971 to 81.5 in 2016.
Male life expectancy at birth in Ireland in 2016, at 79.6, was the eighth highest in the EU and above the EU average of 78.2. Irish female life expectancy at birth, at 83.4 was slightly below the EU average of 83.7 and was the fifteenth highest in the EU. The gap between male and female life expectancy had narrowed to 3.8 years in 2016, down from a peak of 5.6 years in 1991. Females had a longer life expectancy than males across all EU member states in 2016.
Recent estimates from Eurostat published in Health in Ireland 2022 prepared by The Department of Health, show that in 2020 Ireland had the highest life expectancy in the EU at 82 years. Life expectancy of women in the State was 84, and for men it was 81.
The report also notes that Eurostat data for 2021 showed a drop in life expectancy in 2021, most likely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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