The counties recording the highest population growth were in Leinster, as 10 of the 12 counties showed a higher percentage increase than the national average. In Munster, Waterford recorded a higher percentage increase in its population than the State overall, at 9.4%. 

Cork’s population grew by 7%, or just under the national average, although the figures for city and county are combined because of recent boundary changes.

The stock of housing, which will be a key measure in the next general election, increased to 2.1m, up 6% since 2016, with 1.8m occupied homes in the country. While growth in housing continues to be outstripped by increases in population it will remain a problem for politicians, and will need innovative solutions to switch the balance in favour of supply rather than demand.

While population statistics provide incontrovertible hard data about what has happened in society, they are a lagging indicator.

Uncomfortable reading

Two other reports this week made uncomfortable reading. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) warned that households face the biggest fall in living standards since the banking crisis of 2008, with the prospects of a slowdown in housing growth, rising interest rates, and rewards failing to keep pace.

The ESRI has speculated about the prospects of a wage/price spiral — or what Mick Lynch, the impressive rail union leader in Britain has preferred to rechristen the price/wage spiral — and warns that if unemployment falls below 4%, which would be historically low in Ireland, then upward pressure on pay claims will escalate.

And it will be small wonder when Eurostat figures have confirmed that Ireland has now become the second most expensive country in the EU, with the cost of goods and services 40% above the average of the 27 states in the bloc. We stand only behind Denmark in this league table.

The trend has been heading north for some time. In 2010, our prices were 20% above the European average and some 5% ahead of France. Now, based on 2021 returns, they are one fifth ahead of Emmanuel Macron’s republic. Food, clothing, electronics, footwear, telephony, postal services, insurance, are all more expensive than in Europe as a whole, and in some sectors dramatically so. Vat and excise duty is at the higher end of international experience.

This means that we are entering a period of soaring inflation, in which we are exposed to international conflict and future energy shock, from an already high threshold. The timing is not in our favour. That is the bad news.

The sooner all those additional taxpayers join the system the better. Bring on the six million target.