Irish Examiner view: Census 2022 delivers both good and bad news

Ireland's population has exceeded 5.1m but we are entering a period of soaring inflation

Taoiseach Micheal Martin with twins Mya (left) and Zara Akinsowon (8), as he launched Census 2022 at Government Buildings in March. Picture: PA/Brian Lawless

First the good news, Ireland’s population has exceeded 5.1m, the highest level recorded in the census since 1841, coincidentally the same year that John Francis Maguire thought it would be a good idea to start a daily newspaper in Cork (price: Five pence for four pages).

Ireland’s population needs growth because our future expenditure requires a more substantial tax base, and it is encouraging that preliminary Census results show the number of citizens increased by 7.6% between 2016 and 2022. We had 5,123,536 people under a roof on the night of April 3 last.