“Ireland faces a surge in the number of older people as a proportion of the population, falling tax revenues and increased fiscal deficits, according to a new report by the Department of Finance.” The Iona Institute has, for quite some years, been pointing out the demographic drought to a deafening silence. Now, suddenly, a report by a Government Department is supposed to awaken us to our looming demographic destiny. And what is going to be a significant part of any solution? “Continued inward migration will be vital to maintain growth in the labour force.” Of course! I suppose it’s not possible that some of the inward migration might, as in other jurisdictions, actually be an addition to the non-labour force, constituting a net cost instead of a benefit to the exchequer? I suppose it would also be foolish to suggest that anti-family tax policies, the soaring cost of housing (a fact not unconnected to ‘inward migration’) and pressure on our young to emigrate, not to mention the appalling destruction in the womb of future Irish citizens, are policies and practices that, if reversed, might be part of a solution to our looming demographic problems?

Posted by Fred Bassett