Ireland has the highest self-reported health status in the EU, with 80.4% of males and 79.6% of females rating their health as "good" or "very good", according to a Government report on key health trends last year.
It is the fourth year in a row that self-reported health rates have been the highest in the EU.
However, Ireland's population is ageing and has grown by 15.2% since 2016, with the largest increase seen among those aged 65 and over, whose numbers rose by 36.7% between 2016 and last year.
In 2023, life expectancy here was the eighth highest in the EU, at 82.9 years.
It increased by over two years for males since 2015, reaching 81.1 years in 2023, and by just over one year for females, reaching 84.6 years.
The Health in Ireland report shows that the overall mortality rate has fallen by 16.1% in the last decade, with substantial reductions in deaths from cancer, circulatory system diseases, ischaemic heart disease and respiratory system diseases.
Ireland's birth rate fell by 28.3% between 2015 and 2024. The fertility rate also declined by 20.5% in that period, compared to an EU-wide decline of 13%.
Of the EU 27 member states, in 2024, Bulgaria, with 1.72 children per woman, had the highest fertility rate, followed by France, Slovenia, Denmark and then Ireland at 1.47
Spain and Malta were amongst the lowest fertility rates in 2024 at 1.01 and 1.1, respectively.
The population of those aged under 14 has dropped, falling by 0.5% in the last decade and by 1% from 2024 to 2025.
Ireland's population of those aged 65 or over is projected to grow to just under 20% by 2035 and just under a quarter of the population by 2045.
In 2024, there were 1.6 million attendances at hospital emergency departments, up 6.6% on 2023, and around four million outpatient attendances, up 8.9% on 2023, representing year‑on‑year increases in demand for hospital services.
People aged 65 and over accounted for more than half of inpatient bed days used in 2024, reflecting the impact of population ageing on hospital activity.
It is the seventeenth edition of this reference guide to significant trends in health and health care.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said it highlighted significant improvements in health outcomes but also the challenges that remain in ensuring timely and efficient access to healthcare across the population.
"People in Ireland are living longer lives, with continued reductions in mortality from many of the major causes of death over the past decade.
"We have the eighth-highest life expectancy in the EU, and the highest rate of self-reported good health. This report reflects the impact of sustained investment in our health service and the dedication of those working across it."
"At the same time, our population is growing and ageing and demand for health services continues to increase.
"This report also provides vital evidence to help us understand these trends and to ensure that our policies and planning are focused on delivering accessible, timely and high‑quality care for everyone, both now and into the future," Ms Carroll MacNeill said.
Over 12,000 accessed acute beds in 2024
There were 12,016 patients accessing acute hospital beds in 2024, an increase of 14.7% in the last decade from 2015, according to a new government report looking at key trends in healthcare.
The percentage of those beds used by patients over the age of 65 grew from 52.1% in 2015 to 56.9% in 2024, an increase of 9.4%.
The average length of stay was 5.9 days in 2024.
Waiting lists continued to be high between 2024 and 2025, with the number of adults waiting 12 months or longer for inpatient or daycase elective procedures peaking at 16,778 in October 2025.
108,180 people had been waiting for twelve months or longer for an outpatient appointment that month.
The total number of consultant and non-consultant hospital doctors employed in the public health service in Ireland in 2025 was 14,468, an increase of 62.2% since 2016. The number of nurses and midwives is now almost 49,000, which is a 36.1% increase since 2016.
Public health service employment also increased notably over the last decade, with a 56.3% increase in medical and dental staff, along with a 46.6% rise in health and social care professionals and 29.3% increase in patient and client care.
Total public health expenditure more than doubled between 2015 and 2024, with government funding accounting for 77.7% of total health expenditure in 2024.
The proportion of total health expenditure paid for either out-of-pocket or through private health insurance was reported to have reduced in recent years.
Data on child and adolescent health were included for the first time. It shows that the percentage of women having recorded any breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge increased from 58% in 2015 to 65.3% in 2024.
Over the past decade, per-capita annual consumption of alcohol and cigarettes among adults aged 15 years and over declined by 12.2% and 50%, respectively.
Psychiatric hospital admissions fell by 12.8% between 2015 and 2024.
In 2024, hospital inpatient experience was rated as 'poor' by 15% of respondents but 58% of respondents said it was 'very good' by whilst 27% said their experience was "good".
All patients over 16 who spent 24 hours or more in inpatient care in hospital were invited to participate.
Around 84% felt they were treated with respect and dignity and 79 % had confidence and trust in hospital staff.
The survey was not carried out last year, but is under way again this year in 2026.
