New data from the European Commission reveals that Ireland’s birth rate is at its lowest in six decades, with a 13.5% decrease in 2021-22. The country, once among the EU’s most populous, has now slipped to the ninth position in terms of population, down from fifth place a year ago. The EU average is 1.46 children per woman, while Ireland stands at 1.54, down from 2.08 in 2008 and 4.07 in 1960. In 2022, only 54,411 babies were born in Ireland, compared to 60,553 in 2021. This decline contributes to the EU’s overall record-low number of newborns, falling below 4 million for the first time. France now leads the EU in birth rate, with Malta having the lowest.
