2 million more people living in Ireland by 2051

Experts project Ireland’s population will reach 6.69m in 33 years

IRELAND’S population is set to explode by an extra two million people by 2051, figures show.

The Central Statistics Office said if the high fertility and migration rates continue, the population will hit 6.69 million in 33 years.

However, experts say the number of people living here is still expected to reach 5.58 million in the next few decades.

The latest Census figures from April 2016 showed the population stood at 4.74 million. The figures reveal there will be between 1.5 and 1.6 million people aged 65 years and over by 2051, compared to 629,800 in 2016.

Statistician James Hegarty said: “The report is not an attempt to predict the future but rather presents how the population could evolve under different scenarios. By making assumptions about future trends in mortality, migration and fertility, we can project the population forward and examine the possible outcomes for demographic groups such as the school-going population, the working-age population and the elderly.” The figures show the number of primary school children is on the up. In 2016 it was estimated 548,100 kids were in the system but that will jump to between 555,500 and 562,000 by 2021. However, it will decline then after that with numbers expected to fall to between 510,900 and 457,600 by 2031. The labour market is also set to grow. The figures say, assuming net annual inward migration of 10,000 people, Ireland’s workforce is expected to grow from 2,338,600 people in 2016 to 2,628,700 in 2031, a rise of 12.4%.

Bosses lobby group Ibec welcomed strong jobs numbers and said the figures provide more evidence of positive momentum in the economy.

Tom Neville, Fine Gael TD for Limerick, and vice chair of the Oireachtas Business Committee, said: “According to the CSO figures 2.2 million people are now at work.

“This surpasses the previous peak in 2007 by over 6,000, meaning all of the jobs lost in the economic catastrophe have now been restored.”

million people – that’s Ireland’s popuation at the last Census in 2016

million people will be aged 65 and over by 2051