By Chinedu Onyejelem

Ireland population growth of 64,500 in the year to April 2018 is the largest annual increase for the last decade, it has emerged.

The annual population estimates recently released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) also reveal that Ireland’s usually resident population was estimated to be 4,857,000 in April this year.

Some 90,300 people immigrated to Ireland in the 12 months to April, of which 28,400 (31.5%) were returning Irish citizens. Out of 56,300 persons who left Ireland in the same period, more than half were believed to be Irish nationals – though the numbers add up to positive net inward migration for the first time since 2008 (and of Irish nationals since 2009).

Among non-Irish citizens, net inward migration maintained its strong level, estimated at 33,900 up to April 2018. The number of immigrants aged 15 or over who are active in the labour market was put at 48,700 (61.0%).

Speaking on the report, statistician James Hegarty noted that the number of births in the last decade stood at 61,200 while the number of deaths was 30,700, resulting in a natural increase of 30,500.

“The effect of this natural increase and positive net migration resulted in an overall increase in the population of 64,500. This is the largest annual increase in the population since 2008, bringing the population estimate to 4.86 million in April 2018,” Hegarty said.