ABSTRACT
In the first 40 years of independence up to 1961, the secular decline in the Irish population continued. Thereafter the population rose, and grew strongly in the 1970s when the rest of Europe was experiencing a sharp deceleration;but in the 1980s the spectre of renewed population decline through emigration looms once more. This altogether unique demographic experience is the subject of this chapter. Section 7.1 sketches the key features of Ireland's population trends since independence. These trends have been dominated by international migration. In turn migration has been strongly influenced by labour market conditions, which are examined in section 7.2. In the third section we consider the consequences for the economy of Ireland's demographic and labour market experience. Finally, section 7.4 discusses some relevant policy issues.
