Immigration to Ireland fell by 16% in the year to April, with 125,300 people arriving in the country according to new Central Statistics Office figures, though this still marks the fourth consecutive year with over 100,000 immigrants.
The breakdown shows 31,500 returning Irish citizens, 25,300 other EU citizens, 4,900 UK citizens, and 63,600 people from other countries made up the immigration total.
Ireland’s population increased to 5.46 million people, with emigration also declining to 65,600 people leaving the state. This consisted of 35,000 Irish citizens, 10,500 other EU citizens, 2,700 UK citizens, and 17,400 other nationals.
Australia emerged as the top emigration destination, with a 27% increase bringing departures to 13,500 people – the highest level since 2013 when 14,100 emigrated there. The United States also saw increased Irish emigration, with 6,100 people relocating there, up 22% from 2024.
Dublin’s population grew to 1.57 million, representing 28.7% of the national total, while demographic shifts showed Ireland’s aging population trend continuing.
People aged 65 and over numbered 861,100, with their share of the population rising from 14.1% to 15.8% between 2019 and 2025. Conversely, the 0-14 age group, while numbering just over one million, saw its population share decline from 21% to 18% over the past six years.
The 15-24 age group saw a slight increase in population share from 12.6% to 12.8%, while the 25-44 age group decreased from 28.4% to 27.4% between 2019 and 2025.
These demographic changes reflect broader European trends of aging populations and highlight ongoing challenges around workforce planning, pension sustainability, and social service provision as Ireland’s age structure continues evolving.