Bill Linnane: Ireland’s birth rate is falling, but we’ve done our part for the economy by churning out four taxpayersWe didn’t think too much about the economics of having four children, but this aspect of parenting is very, very important​​​​​We're being told to have more babies, but they do cost money. Photo: Picture posed/GettyBill Linnane Today at 06:30​If I was going to make the suggestion that people should have more kids, I’d aim for a point in the calendar when families are feeling upbeat and positive, like coming to the end of the school year before the endless promise of the summer hols, or coming to the end of the summer hols when you finally get to hand your feral children back to the open arms of the Department of Education.

Source: Irish Independent January 09, 2026 13:02 UTC