Health in Ireland : Key Trends - Population health
-
From: Department of Health
- Published on: 17 May 2026
- Last updated on: 17 May 2026
Health Status
Table 2.1 : Self-perceived health status, Ireland and EU 27, 2024
| Very good | Good | Fair/Bad/Very bad | ||||||||
| Age-group | % Male | % Female | % Total | % Male | % Female | % Total | % Male | % Female | % Total | |
| 16-24 | 65.8 | 61.4 | 63.6 | 27.4 | 30.3 | 28.8 | 6.8 | 8.3 | 7.5 | |
| 25-34 | 57.7 | 52.7 | 55.2 | 31.8 | 33.1 | 32.5 | 10.4 | 14.2 | 12.3 | |
| 35-44 | 42.7 | 39.2 | 40.9 | 44.1 | 49 | 46.7 | 13.1 | 11.7 | 12.5 | |
| 45-54 | 32.3 | 40.2 | 36.4 | 48.9 | 40.9 | 44.8 | 18.8 | 18.9 | 18.8 | |
| 55-64 | 28.1 | 30.2 | 29.2 | 44.1 | 40.5 | 42.3 | 27.8 | 29.3 | 28.6 | |
| 65+ | 17.8 | 21.5 | 19.8 | 43.5 | 41.2 | 42.3 | 38.7 | 37.3 | 37.9 | |
| Ireland | Total | 39.8 | 39.7 | 39.7 | 40.6 | 39.9 | 40.2 | 19.7 | 20.5 | 20.1 |
| EU 27 | Total | 23.1 | 20.1 | 21.6 | 47.9 | 45.9 | 46.8 | 29.1 | 34 | 31.7 |
Source:
EU-SILC, Eurostat.
Table 2.2 : People with a long-standing illness or health problem, Ireland and EU 27, 2024
| Age group | % Male | % Female | % Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 | 12.1 | 11.1 | 11.6 | |
| 25-34 | 17.5 | 18.1 | 17.8 | |
| 35-44 | 20 | 19.2 | 19.6 | |
| 45-64 | 30.1 | 31.6 | 30.9 | |
| 65+ | 43.8 | 44.5 | 44.1 | |
| Ireland | Total | 26.1 | 26.8 | 26.5 |
| EU 27 | Total | 33.1 | 37.4 | 35.3 |
Source:
EU-SILC, Eurostat.
Table 2.3 : Self-perceived long-standing limitations in usual activities due to health problems, Ireland and EU 27, 2024
| Some | Severe | ||||||
| Age-group | % Male | % Female | % Total | % Male | % Female | % Total | |
| 16-44 | 8.6 | 9.6 | 9.1 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.9 | |
| 45-64 | 14 | 16.8 | 15.4 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 4.9 | |
| 65-74 | 25.8 | 24.9 | 25.4 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 7.1 | |
| 75+ | 28.8 | 31.7 | 30.4 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 15 | |
| Ireland | Total | 13.7 | 15.5 | 14.6 | 4.9 | 5 | 4.9 |
| EU 27 | Total | 15.4 | 18.8 | 17.2 | 6.1 | 7.3 | 6.7 |
Source:
EU-SILC, Eurostat.
Figure 2.1 : Self-perceived health rated good or very good by income quintile, Ireland and EU 27, 2024
Source:
EU-SILC, Eurostat.
Note:
(i) Income quintiles are calculated on the basis of the total equivalised disposable income attributed to each member of the household.
Figure 2.2 : Percentage of the population reporting good or very good health in the EU 27, 2024
Source:
EU-SILC, Eurostat.
Mortality (domestic)
Table 2.4 : Principal causes of death: numbers and age-standardised death rates per 100,000 population, 2015-2024
| Cause of death | 2015 | 2019 | 2023 | 2024 | % change 2015-2024 | % change 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All causes of death | Number | 30,127 | 31,184 | 35,459 | 35,173 | 16.7 | -0.8 |
| Rate | 1008.9 | 923.2 | 896.4 | 846.7 | -16.1 | -5.5 | |
| Cancer | |||||||
| All malignant neoplasms | Number | 8,877 | 9,574 | 10,308 | 10,307 | 16.1 | 0 |
| Rate | 277.6 | 264.8 | 247.6 | 239.6 | -13.7 | -3.2 | |
| Cancer of the trachea/bronchus/lung | Number | 1,885 | 2,014 | 2,121 | 2,045 | 8.5 | -3.6 |
| Rate | 58.4 | 55 | 50.5 | 47.1 | -19.3 | -6.8 | |
| Cancer of the female breast | Number | 678 | 692 | 748 | 782 | 15.3 | 4.5 |
| Rate | 37.3 | 34.3 | 32.6 | 32.9 | -11.7 | 1.1 | |
| Circulatory system diseases | |||||||
| Diseases of the circulatory system | Number | 9,371 | 8,928 | 9,872 | 9,594 | 2.4 | -2.8 |
| Rate | 330 | 277.4 | 257.5 | 237 | -28.2 | -8 | |
| Ischaemic heart disease | Number | 4,492 | 4,132 | 4,277 | 4,172 | -7.1 | -2.5 |
| Rate | 154.6 | 124.8 | 109.6 | 101.1 | -34.6 | -7.7 | |
| Cerebrovascular disease | Number | 1,920 | 1,618 | 1,664 | 1,608 | -16.2 | -3.4 |
| Rate | 68.7 | 50.6 | 43.5 | 39.9 | -41.9 | -8.2 | |
| Respiratory system diseases | |||||||
| Diseases of the respiratory system | Number | 3,865 | 3,930 | 4,200 | 4,284 | 10.8 | 2 |
| Rate | 138.9 | 123 | 109.6 | 106.4 | -23.4 | -3 | |
| Pneumonia | Number | 1,165 | 1,004 | 861 | 929 | -20.3 | 7.9 |
| Rate | 44.3 | 33.9 | 23.4 | 23.5 | -46.9 | 0.7 | |
| Chronic lower respiratory disease | Number | 1,701 | 1,803 | 1,979 | 1,950 | 14.6 | -1.5 |
| Rate | 59 | 54.4 | 50.7 | 47.7 | -19.1 | -5.9 | |
| External causes of injury and poisoning | |||||||
| External causes of injury and poisoning | Number | 1,316 | 1,324 | 1,354 | 1,563 | 18.8 | 15.4 |
| Rate | 33.5 | 32.1 | 30.2 | 33.2 | -1 | 9.8 | |
| Transport accidents | Number | 124 | 77 | 77 | 113 | -8.9 | 46.8 |
| Rate | 2.9 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 2.1 | -25.6 | 35.8 | |
| Suicide | Number | 425 | 390 | 302 | 351 | -17.4 | 16.2 |
| Rate | 9.5 | 8.2 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -29.6 | 13.8 | |
| Other causes | |||||||
| COVID 19 | Number | 769 | 503 | -34.6 | |||
| Rate | 20.2 | 12.7 | -37.3 | ||||
Source:
Central Statistics Office, Department of Health.
Notes:
(i) The figures for 2023 and 2024 are provisional. They should be treated with caution as they refer to deaths registered in this year and may be incomplete. Figures for previous years may be different from those in earlier publications due to late-registered deaths or revised population estimates.
(ii) The rates provided in the table are age standardised to the European standard population and are presented as rates per 100,000 population.
Figure 2.3 (a) : Deaths by principal causes, percentage distribution, 2024, ages 0-64
Source:
Central Statistics Office, Department of Health.
Note:
(i) The data is provisional.
Figure 2.3 (b) : Deaths by principal causes, percentage distribution, 2024, ages 65+
Source:
Central Statistics Office, Department of Health.
Note:
(i) The data is provisional.
Figure 2.4 : Age-standardised death rates for selected causes, Ireland, 2015 - 2024
Source:
Central Statistics Office, Department of Health.
Note:
(i) See notes under Table 2.4.
Mortality (international)
Table 2.5 : Age-standardised death rates per 100,000 population by principal causes of death, Ireland and selected comparator countries, 2022 (except for all causes)
| Cause | Ireland | Belgium | Denmark | France | Netherlands | Norway | Portugal | Sweden | Average | Percentage Difference: Ireland and Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All causes | 914.1 | 921.4 | 992.8 | 848.3 | 1011.7 | 832.3 | 1000.3 | 849.7 | 921.3 | -0.8 | ||
| Cancers | 248.2 | 218.2 | 259.6 | 222.4 | 254.1 | 221.8 | 219.5 | 205.0 | 231.1 | 7.4 | ||
| Circulatory system diseases | 266.5 | 221.6 | 210.8 | 171.6 | 225.7 | 210.9 | 237.9 | 258.7 | 225.5 | 18.2 | ||
| Respiratory system diseases | 104.6 | 94.2 | 107.3 | 55.6 | 76.0 | 88.2 | 90.0 | 55.8 | 84.0 | 24.6 | ||
| Covid-19 | 44.4 | 52.6 | 27.6 | 50.3 | 49.4 | 57.7 | 58.3 | 32.1 | 46.6 | -4.8 | ||
| External causes of injury and poisoning | 37.6 | 64.9 | 41.5 | 59.4 | 63.8 | 54.3 | 46.2 | 49.6 | 52.2 | -27.9 | ||
Source:
Eurostat.
Note:
(i) Data in the above table for "All causes" corresponds to 2021 and is subject to revision when updated data becomes available.
Figure 2.5 : Age-standardised death rate for suicide by gender, 3-year moving average, Ireland and EU27, 2013–2022
Source:
Eurostat.
Note:
(i) 3-year moving average is the average of the rate for the previous 3 years.
Figure 2.6 (a) : Preventable deaths by gender (age−standardised death rate per 100,000 population), 2022
Source:
Eurostat.
Note:
(i) Preventable mortality: Causes of death that can be mainly avoided through effective public health and primary prevention interventions (i.e. before the onset of diseases/injuries, to reduce incidence).
Figure 2.6 (b) : Treatable deaths by gender (age−standardised death rate per 100,000 population), 2022
Source:
Eurostat.
Note:
(i) A death is considered treatable, or amenable, if it could have been avoided with optimal quality healthcare.
Figure 2.7 : Infant mortality rates, Ireland and EU-27, 2014 to 2023
Source:
Eurostat.
Tobacco and Alcohol
Figure 2.8 (a) : Alcohol consumption per annum, per capita aged 15 years and over, 2005 to 2024
Figure 2.8 (b) : Cigarette consumption per annum, per capita aged 15 years and over, 2005 to 2024
Source:
Revenue Commissioners, CSO (population data).
Notes:
(i) Alcohol is measured in terms of pure alcohol consumed, based on sales of beer, cider, wine and spirits.
Tobacco is measured in terms of sales of cigarettes recorded by the Revenue Commissioners.
(ii) Cigarette consumption excludes ‘roll your own’ cigarettes and other tobacco products.
(iii) The Cigarette clearances in 2017 were higher than normal due to the stockpiling of cigarettes with branded packs before the cut-off date for the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes. The higher clearances in 2017 resulted in reduced clearances in 2018.