Can Ireland reverse its falling birthrate? 

Recently, the global population hit eight billion for the first time. 

However, the trend of an ever growing population soon looks set to reverse at some point this century. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, Trinity Professor Luke O’Neill said Ireland is one of many developed nations where young people are having fewer children than their parents. 

“They’re predicting that the first time since the Black Death, the population of the earth will go down,” he said. 

“It’s going to take another 30 years, it’s trending in that direction. 

“Ireland’s fascinating; in 1970, the average Irish woman had between three and four kids. 

“As of 2020, it fell to 1.63 per woman and that’s a massive drop, really.” 

Donald Trump holds two babys. Picture by: Stacie Scott/The Gazette via AP.

If a population is to remain stable, each woman needs to have 2.1 children on average, as some children, sadly, pass away. 

In America, the birthrate is 1.6 children per woman and the Trump Administration is hoping to increase it. 

However, Professor O’Neill warned that countries tend to find that reversing the trend is “very hard”. 

“A baby born in America now, will be given $1,000 into an account invested for them, tax free,” he said. 

“When they’re 18, they get access to it. 

“So, that’s one incentive to have a baby.” 

A father and his baby. Picture by: Arsenii Palivoda / Alamy.

Geographers are clear there are two things that will cause a society’s birthrate to drop - contraception and education. 

Women with access to contraception and abortion have a choice whether or not they want to have children, with many deciding they do not. 

While those with an education may choose to focus on their careers instead. 

“They’re the two main reasons why the birthrates are going down,” Professor O’Neill said. 

“In countries where you have educated women, you have less babies - and that’s happening in the developing world.” 

He added that falling birthrates in some countries is not "necessarily a bad thing”, as many struggled with overpopulation for many years. 

“To stop it then, you’ve almost got to stop contraception and stop education - which is impossible to do and wouldn’t be acceptable,” Professor O’Neill said. 

Main image: Luke O’Neill in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk