Ageing profile: Life expectancy to rise by 10 years

IRELAND is more likely to be home to the “Pope’s pensioners” rather than the “Pope’s children” within a few decades, according to new figures which show that people can expect to live 7-10 years more on average.

The Central Statistics Office has predicted huge demographic changes by 2041 with elderly people accounting for almost one in four of the population compared to the current rate of 11%, due to improving life expectancy.

Significant changes in the make-up of the Irish population due to varying birth, death and migration levels will also increase dependency rates with important consequences for government finances in coming years.