Ireland’s total fertility rate has now fallen to 1.5, far below the replacement level of 2.1. For a country that once prided itself on large, close-knit families, this represents a serious rupture. The marriage rate tells a similarly stark story: down from 5.2 marriages per 1,000 adults in 2004 to just 3.8 in 2024, well below even the EU average. Where is the Church’s clear call to restore a culture of marriage and family life? The Iona Institute has done a great service by placing the facts in front of us.

Source: The Herald January 21, 2026 03:07 UTC