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14
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background
Table 1.1: Estimated older population by gender and age group in Ireland,
2007, 2008 and 2009 (CSO, 2009)
April 2007
Male
Female
Total
April 2008
Male
Female
Total
April 2009
Male
Female
Total
Further analysis of national statistics reveals that while the overall population is
ageing, the number of the oldest old is growing even more quickly. There is a
notable increase in those aged 85 years and over, with this population growing from
50,300 in 2007 to 55,400 in 2009 (Table 1.1).The Central Statistics Office (CSO)
predicts that this trend will continue, and foresees the numbers of people over the
age of 85 years to more than quadruple from approximately 60,400 in 2011 to
255,100 in 2041 (Figure 1.1). According to the CSO, one of the reasons for this
predicted increase is the relatively high birth rate (compared with other countries) up
to the early 1980s.
65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85
years
and
over
71,300
72,200
143,500
73,600
75,200
148,800
76,900
78,400
155,300
56,600
62,600
119,200
57,500
63,300
120,800
58,700
64,500
123,200
40,600
51,500
92,100
41,800
51,800
93,600
42,900
52,400
95,200
25,000
40,400
65,400
25,000
40,100
65,200
25,900
40,000
65,900
15,500
34,800
50,300
16,600
36,600
53,200
17,500
37,900
55,400
Total
over
65
209,000
261,500
470,500
214,500
267,000
481,600
221,900
273,200
495,000