#624 No Ring, No Rattle: Ireland’s Marriage and Baby Drought

In this episode, Niall is joined by David Quinn, journalist and spokesperson for The Iona Institute, to discuss a stark new paper warning that Ireland is on the wrong course when it comes to marriage, family life, and population growth.

Drawing on newly released CSO data, the paper shows that Ireland now has its lowest-ever marriage rate and fertility rate, outside the Covid years. Births have fallen sharply across almost all age groups, with only a modest rise among over-40s — nowhere near enough to offset the overall decline. Fertility now stands at 1.5 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1, raising concerns about serious demographic imbalances in the near future.

David explains how marriage and birth rates continue to move in tandem, even as more children are born outside marriage, and why delayed marriage and parenthood — driven by housing costs, job insecurity, and shifting social norms — are playing a crucial role. Today, the average age of marriage is nearly 38 for men and 36 for women, around ten years older than in the 1980s, despite tougher economic conditions back then.

The conversation also explores a striking contradiction: surveys show that most people still want two or three children, yet many are falling short of those aspirations, leading to what researchers now call “unplanned childlessness.”

Niall puts the central question to David:

Can Ireland change the direction of its downward birth rate — and if so, what economic, social, and cultural changes would it take to make marriage and family life realistically achievable again for younger generations?

A thoughtful discussion on demographics, personal choice, social pressure, and the long-term consequences for Irish society.