Fertility Rate Trends in Ireland from 1990 to 2022

Ireland’s fertility rate fluctuated around 2.0 for much of the 1990s and 2000s, reflecting its traditionally high birth rates in Europe. However, the rate steadily declined to 1.7 by 2022. Socio-economic changes, including women’s increased workforce participation and delayed family formation, played a key role.

The brief rise around 2008 coincided with economic optimism during Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" years, before the financial crisis subdued growth. By 2020, the rate dropped to 1.6, indicative of broader European fertility patterns.