Replacement Rate and Low Fertility

Ireland's birth rate has fallen by 20% in just 11 years according a new report from the HSE which shows 53,185 babies were born last year compared to 67,263 in 2014.

Dr Carmel Hannan, associate professor in the Department of Sociology at University of Limerick, and Dan O’Brien, chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs, join The Last Word to discuss why birth rates continue to fall and what economic and social challenges are created by this.

Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page!