The population of the State will exceed four million by 2006, according to a report published by the Central Statistics Office today. It will be the first time the population has topped four million since 1871.
The report, which looks at population and labour force projections up to 2031, also predicts that the number of old age pensioners will double, and that people will live, on average, about five years longer.The number of births will continue to rise for the first few years of the new century, but will then decline, in line with trends in the rest of Europe.
The labour force is projected to rise by 28,000 people annually, increasing from one point six million to two million by 2011. The next century is also likely to see more married women in the workforce.
