Ireland should welcome migrants to support the economy into the future, thereby avoiding a \u201cvicious circle\u201d where we don\u2019t have enough workers to sustain the State, a new government report has said.<\/p>\n
The National Economic and Social Council (NESC), an advisory body to the Taoiseach and Government, said that Ireland is undergoing significant demographic shifts and must adapt soon in what is set to be a \u201cdecisive\u201d decade in the country\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
\u201cDemographic change is inevitable, but it does not have to be destabilising,\u201d the council\u2019s policy analyst Gr\u00e1inne Collins said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a signal to plan ahead to create the country we want to live in. By acting now, we ensure that future generations inherit a social model that is resilient, sustainable, and genuinely inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Collins said that Ireland has already passed two significant turning points, \u201cpeak baby\u201d in 2010 and \u201cpeak child\u201d in 2024, which reflects a sharp and sustained fall in births<\/a>.<\/p>\n This fall means that Ireland\u2019s population will peak in around three decades\u2019 time, bringing with it an ageing population and puts us at risk of the \u201cvicious cycle\u201d where we don\u2019t have enough workers and tax revenue to support this population.<\/p>\n To combat these risks, we should shift to a \u201cvirtuous cycle\u201d by supporting birth rates, increasing participation in the labour force, and reconfiguring the health system to support early intervention and community interventions.<\/p>\n It also calls for fiscal prudence to make sure the country has enough funds to meet the demands it will face in the future. The report said:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBuilding resilience means developing a stronger framework for long-term budgeting, investing in productive infrastructure, and managing public finances in a way that smooths expenditure pressures over time.<\/p>\n \n Fiscal preparation is not only about saving more, but also about spending wisely, directing resources toward prevention, innovation, and policies that reduce future liabilities.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n