Ireland’s population is ageing faster than any other country in Europe, according to a new Department of Health report, threatening to put significant strain on the healthcare system and other national services.
The report, entitled “Health In Ireland – Key Trends,” claims that as it stands there are five taxpaying workers for every one pensioner over the age of 65. However, based on current birthrates, in 20 years time this ratio will drop to three to one.
This could result in young workers being taxed at a far higher rate than they are currently to support the bigger proportion of elderly citizens within the state.
The population of those over 65 in Ireland has grown by 35% in the past 10 years, which is a faster rate than the rest of Europe. This age group is expected to double over the next 20 years, and will be projected to make up more one-third of the working population, compared to one-fifth now.
There will also be a large proportional increase in those over the age of 85.
The report claims that this will make it difficult to adequately fund services such as the healthcare system, as older people are naturally in need of more resources than younger individuals. Most hospital beds are occupied by those over the age of 65, for example.
“It is good that people are living longer, but we need to ensure that more of these years, particularly in later life, are spent in good health,” the report says, adding that Ireland’s demographics will remain “the singular challenge we face when planning our health service into the future.”
Birthrates in Ireland have continued to fall in addition to this, with births being down by one-fifth.
Contributing factors to this may be varied, such as Ireland having one of the oldest average first-time marriage ages in the world.
Irish men on average are 36.4 when they get married, and women tend to be 34.4, which has an impact on one’s fertility and ability to have children.
In addition, the introduction of abortion following the 2018 referendum will have had a negative impact on Ireland’s births as well, as will rising house prices making it difficult for couples to settle down.
Gript previously asked Fine Gael Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys about what strategies her government was putting in place to deal with this demographic decline. Her answer to that question can be viewed below.
Despite environmentalist warnings of “overpopulation,” a 2020 Lancet study predicted that the world’s population will decline significantly in the coming decades for the first time in centuries.
Fertility rate: 'Jaw-dropping' global crash in children being born https://t.co/mlpyoRKb5I
— BBC Science News (@BBCScienceNews) July 15, 2020
The study has found that as many as 23 countries could see their populations shrink by more than half due to ageing populations and low birth rates. These countries include Spain, Italy, Portugal, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and more.
Even countries with huge populations like China are set to see significant demographic decline over the next 80 or so years.
Researchers say that if their projections are accurate, it will be the first time a global population decline has taken place due to a drop in fertility. According to the lead study author, the last time the global population declined was in the 14th century, largely due to the Black Plague.
A more recent study last month found that global sperm counts had more than halved in the last 40 years, which researchers described as a “crisis.”
Humans could face reproductive crisis as sperm count declines, study finds https://t.co/ZWRyEnuc2R
— Society Guardian (@SocietyGuardian) November 15, 2022
Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and father of six, made headlines last year when he said that he was having more children to help “save the planet,” warning of impending demographic collapse.
“There are not enough people. I can’t emphasise this enough; there are not enough people” https://t.co/2VyajPBEgs
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) December 8, 2021
“There are not enough people,” said Musk, adding that civilisation will “crumble” if people don’t start to have more children.
“I cannot emphasise this enough; there are not enough people.”