Ireland Population Reaches 5.52 Million as Net Migration Declines

The Central Statistics Office reported that the population of the Republic of Ireland grew by 66,900 people to reach 5,525,600 in the 12 months ending in April 2026. Irish citizens make up 83.2% of the population, while non-Irish citizens number 931,000.

Net migration declined by 19% between April 2025 and April 2026, falling to approximately 48,000 people. While 111,000 people immigrated and 62,500 emigrated, overall immigration decreased by 12% compared to the previous year. This trend follows a peak caused by the arrival of nearly 68,000 Ukrainian refugees in 2022. In response to strained state resources and a housing crisis, the Government of Ireland toughened migration enforcement and began withdrawing emergency accommodation for Ukrainians. Notably, net migration from the United States increased to an estimated 4,000 people.

Demographic shifts show a growing elderly population, with those aged 65 and over increasing by 22.7% since 2020. Conversely, the population of children aged 0 to 14 fell to 992,400, marking the first time this bracket has dropped below one million since 2014 as births continue to decline.