Ireland had the highest birth rate in the EU in 2021Despite Ireland's population being younger than the EU average, Finance Minister Michael McGrath says pension costs are set to skyrocket. Ireland's overall population has grown 30pc in the last two decades, Eurostat said, the third-fastest rate in the EU. EU average population growth in the period was 4pc, while Lithuania and Latvia both saw population decline of around 20pc. The median age in Ireland was 38.8 years last year, the second-lowest in the 27-member EU after Cyprus, and almost 10 years younger than the median age in Italy. However, Ireland’s median age has increased by six years since 2002, at a slightly faster rate than the EU average.

Source: Irish Independent May 12, 2023 09:44 UTC