Ireland’s population was estimated at 5.3 million in 2023. Between 2013 and 2023 Ireland had the third highest percentage increase (14.4%) in population in the European Union (EU27), after Malta (28.3%) and Luxembourg (23.0%).
The proportion of Ireland’s population aged 45 or over increased from 35.4% in 2013 to 40.6% in 2023, while the proportion aged under 45 decreased from 64.5% in 2013 to 59.4% in 2023.
The difference in median weekly earnings between males and females in Ireland widened to €148.94 in 2022, up from €120.89 in 2013.
Ireland had the second highest price level for consumer goods and services in the EU27 in 2022 at 42.3% above the EU27 average, while Denmark had the highest at 48.6% above the EU27 average.
Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions per capita were 12.3 tonnes per capita in 2021, which was the second highest in the EU27 after Luxembourg (14.7 tonnes per capita).
The amount of municipal waste generated in Ireland rose from 2.8 million tonnes to 3.2 million tonnes between 2011 and 2021, while the proportion of that waste recovered (recycled, composted, or incinerated for energy) rose from 42.6% to 82.8% over the same period.
The number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates in Ireland was 40.3 per 1,000 persons aged 20-29 in 2021, the highest rate in the EU27.
Male life expectancy at birth was 80.5 years in Ireland in 2021, 3.3 years higher than the EU27 average. Female life expectancy at birth in Ireland was 84.3 years, which was 1.4 years above the EU27 average.
Measuring Ireland's Progress 2022 contains 62 indicators highlighting key trends in Irish society, drawing comparisons over time and in a European context. The report is divided into five main chapters: Society, Economy, Environment, Education, and Health. This report is the twentieth in the Measuring Ireland's Progress series.
Data is sourced mainly from the CSO and Eurostat, with additional sources as indicated including government departments, state agencies and international organisations.
Most indicators are presented in both a national and an international context. The European Union (EU) is referenced in tables and graphs throughout the report as EU 27 countries (from 2020), as it refers to the 27 members states after the United Kingdom left the European Union in 2020. The national context is generally in a time series format, while the international context compares Ireland with other EU27 countries, and, where available, with European Free Trade Association countries: Iceland, Switzerland and Norway; and, also where available, with EU candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine. UK data is generally no longer being updated in Eurostat from 2020 onwards but is included where comparable data is available from another source such as the Office for National Statistics (UK). Graphs and maps are provided with many indicators.
The latest available data is presented for most indicators, which means that the latest reference year for different indicators can vary. It is usually 2021, 2022, or 2023, but can be earlier for some indicators, and this is clearly shown in each case. It should be noted that data is often subject to subsequent updates or revisions, and this can affect the relative ratings of countries in international comparisons.
The Background Notes describe the indicator definitions and data sources in greater detail. Where a graph and/or map is available for an indicator, this will be shown below the text for that indicator.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (23 February 2024) released Measuring Ireland's Progress 2022, the twentieth annual report in the series. The report contains data on 62 indicators, divided over five chapters: Society; Economy; Environment, Education and Health.
Commenting on the report, Aideen Sheehan, Statistician in the Statistical Systems Coordination Unit, said: "The progress indicators used in this report are chosen to provide an overall view of the social, economic, environment, education and health situation in Ireland, and how Ireland compares in these areas with other European countries.
The report shows how Ireland's population has grown at the third fastest rate in the European Union in the last 10 years, up by 14.4% when compared with an EU27 average of 1.7%. It also shows that the proportion of the population aged 65 years or over increased from 12.3% in 2013 to 15.3% in 2023.
Further findings highlighted in the report include:
Society
Ireland had the second lowest divorce rate in the EU27 in 2021, at 0.9 divorces per 1,000 persons, below the EU27 average of 1.7 divorces per 1,000 persons. Malta had the lowest rate at 0.6 divorces per 1,000 persons.
Ireland had a fertility rate of 1.8 in 2021, which tied with France, Czechia, and Romania as the highest rate in the EU27. However, all countries in the EU27 were below the theoretical replacement fertility rate of 2.1.
Economy
Ireland had the second highest consumer prices in the EU27 in 2022 at 42.3% above the EU27 average. Prices were highest in Denmark at 48.6% above the EU27 average.
The employment rate in Ireland was 73.2% in 2022, which was above the EU27 average of 69.8%. The male employment rate in Ireland was 78.1% and the female rate was 68.4%, giving a gender differential of 9.7%.
The number of new dwellings completed in Ireland rose by 615% between 2013 and 2023, with 4,575 completed in the year 2013 and 32,695 completed in 2023. Over the same time period, the number of new apartments completed rose by 2,361%, scheme houses by 1,242%, and single houses by 88%.
Environment
Building Energy Rating (BER) audits were carried out on more than 1.15 million dwellings between 2009 and 2023. Of these 13% received an A rating, 14% a B rating, and 34% a C rating, while the remainder received a D, E, F or G rating. For properties constructed between 2020 and 2023, 99% received an A rating compared with just 2% of properties built pre-1978.
Ireland had 457 passenger cars per 1,000 people in 2022, the fifth lowest ratio in the EU27, and below the EU27 average of 560.
Education
More than six in ten persons (62.3%) aged 25-34 in Ireland had a third level qualification in 2022, which was the highest rate in the EU27.
In 2022, 9.3% of young people in Ireland aged 18-24 were neither in employment nor in education and training, below the EU27 average of 12.4%.
Health
Healthy life expectancy (the number of years a person can expect to live in a healthy state) for males at birth in Ireland was 66.4 years in 2021, the fourth highest in the EU27. For females in Ireland healthy life expectancy was 68.0 years, 3.8 years above the EU27 average.
Current health care spending (both public and private) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product was 6.6% in Ireland in 2021 which was the fourth lowest in the EU27 and below the EU27 average of 10.9%."