A group of health professionals has called for an urgent national discussion on Ireland’s crashed birth rate – and said that Ireland’s spiralling abortion rates is the elephant in the room that cannot be ignored.
They made the call as the first of a two-part documentary series for RTÉ with Miriam O’Callaghan was aired.
“Ireland’s Population Crash”, broadcast on RTÉ last night, looks at plunging birth rates globally and in Ireland, which included a trip to South Korea to see the devastating lack of children, and to south Kerry to discuss how the population crash threatens to close small schools and is devastating the ability of GAA clubs to field a team.
Health Professionals for Life is calling for a comprehensive national discussion on Ireland’s declining birth rate, abortion figures, and the long-term implications for families, healthcare services, and the sustainability of the welfare state.
“Who will fund the pensions of today’s under-35s when they reach retirement age? Who will staff our hospitals, care for our elderly and support our public services? These are questions that deserve serious consideration now. We need an urgent national discussion on the implications of the plunging birth rate,” said spokeswoman and nurse Margaret McGovern.
“According to data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland’s fertility rate stood at approximately 1.5 children per woman in 2025, substantially below the replacement level of 2.1. As healthcare professionals, we believe this trend warrants serious consideration from demographic, healthcare, social, and economic perspectives,” the medics organisation said.
And the health professionals said they believe the discussion must also include the number of abortions taking place in Ireland. “It’s the elephant in the room that everyone is ignoring, yet its obvious that 11,000 abortions a year – almost triple the rate before repeal of the 8th – is impacting our birth rate,” Ms McGovern said.
“We fully recognise that declining birth rates have many causes, including housing affordability, childcare costs, delayed parenthood and fertility difficulties. However, Health Professionals for Life believes that abortion also deserves consideration within this wider national conversation,” she added.
SUPPORTS FOR WOMEN
“Figures from Irish abortion reporting sources indicate that approximately 60,302 abortions were recorded between 2019 and 2025. In 2025, approximately 10,600 abortions were notified in Ireland, while 54,125 live births were registered. These figures form part of a broader picture of demographic change and raise important questions about the experiences of women, the supports available during pregnancy, and the factors influencing family formation and reproductive decisions,” Health Professionals for Life said in a release.
PRO Catherina O’Sullivan said that Ireland is not alone in facing these demographic challenges.
“Many European countries are experiencing sustained below-replacement fertility, contributing to population ageing and increasing pressures on healthcare systems, social protection programmes, and public finances. International organisations have highlighted the need for long-term planning in response to changing demographic patterns. Ireland has witnessed increasing outward migration with 90,000 Australian visas issued to Irish citizens since 2021. Many of these young people would like to live, work and have families in Ireland,” she said.
“From a healthcare perspective, demographic trends have significant implications for future demand on health and social care services, including acute care, community services, disability supports, long-term care, and the healthcare workforce itself,” she added.
“Healthcare Professionals for Life believes that women, children, and families should be at the centre of any policy response. Housing supply, affordability, childcare costs, financial security, access to healthcare, and workplace pressures all influence decisions about having children and should be considered as part of a coordinated national strategy.”
“We therefore call on policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and the wider public to engage in a respectful, evidence-based discussion on Ireland’s demographic future. Such a discussion should consider fertility trends, abortion figures, family supports, and the measures required to ensure the long-term sustainability and wellbeing of Irish society,” the group said.