The Last Word with Matt Cooper Why Are Birth Rates Falling Steadily?
Nov 28, 2025
Dr. Carmel Hannan, an Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Limerick, explores the connection between women's education and declining birth rates in Ireland. She discusses how postponed adulthood and economic insecurity contribute to smaller families. Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs, places Ireland's trend within a global context, raising questions about economic sustainability and the implications of an ageing population. Together, they examine the balance between cultural choices and economic pressures impacting fertility.
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Education And Culture Drive Fertility Fall
- Ireland's fertility decline links to economic shifts and cultural change, notably more women's education and labour participation.
- Families now prioritise investing more time and money in fewer children, raising per-child costs and lowering birth rates.
Precarity Delays Family Formation
- Economic precarity delays adulthood milestones like buying homes or securing stable jobs and so postpones childbearing.
- Postponement reduces lifetime family size, contributing materially to lower birth rates in Ireland.
Gender Roles Suppress Birth Rates
- Persistent traditional gender roles in Ireland leave women bearing disproportionate unpaid care work, depressing fertility.
- Policies supporting childcare, housing, and care could slow the decline but likely won't fully reverse it.