Report Projects Rising Rates of Childlessness Among Gen Z Women in Ireland

A new report from the Iona Institute for Religion and Society projects that nearly 24.2% of Irish women born in the late 1990s may remain childless by age 45. This figure marks a significant upward trend compared to previous generations, as only 13.5% of women born in the late 1950s and 18.2% of those born in the late 1960s reached that age without children.

The study utilizes demographic modeling to highlight a shift in Irish family formation patterns. While the data does not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary childlessness, the authors suggest that external factors such as housing pressures and delayed family planning play a major role. The report notes that 85% of respondents in a 2022 Amarach Research poll expressed a desire for two or more children, suggesting that many instances of childlessness may be circumstantial rather than intentional. The institute points to the increasing demand for fertility treatments among women in their late 30s as further evidence that many individuals are struggling to achieve their desired family size.