Irish birth rate falls below 1.4 - far below replacement level

You can encourage all you want.

It's a personal choice.

No. It should be based on personal choice and personal circumstances.

Not me or you.

In 2025 I can't see how anyone could be struggling with that concept.

So encouraging higher income earners whilst discouraging lower income earners to have children will maintain the population?

That's illogical.

That some people is the minority. The majority do want to have children (they are great craic).

Insanely high rents are holding some people back, and I can unbderstand why.

There is nothing in my post about discouraging lower earners. They will continue to have kids they way they currently do.

Estonia has that policy introduced few years ago, works really well there, Finland also, even France, so it does work

I would seriously hope that these pointers are not guiding anyone who is in power to frame policy on housing anywhere let alone Ireland. Demand is the reason why prices are where they are. A case in point:

Over 2,300 applications for 46 discounted apartments

Having children at 40 and beyond, especially for first time mothers, sees an increased risk of developmental issues for the baby.

Secondly, by the time that child is in the mid-late teens you're knocking on the door of 60 yourself and the energy levels required to be caring for them is alot less than someone in their mid-40s.

It's all common sense really.

Tax break doesn't mean directly handing over payment to the recipient, it means taking less off of them, i.e. leaving them with more of their money.

No doubt some will counter with "government will just increase taxes elsewhere" to off set the loss. The government should be respecting the taxpayer by looking to cut back on the excessive waste it currently lords over.

Secondly, by the time that child is in the mid-late teens you're knocking on the door of 60 yourself and the energy levels required to be caring for them is alot less than someone in their mid-40s.

What energy levels do you need for caring for a 19 year old?

Would a fit 60 year be better suited to care for a 19 year old then an unhealthy 45 year old? Should Tusla get involved if younger parents are obese?

Where do you want to go with this?

Should people who only have the personal circumstances and choice at 40 not have a child because some people on the internet don't like it?

Have we not told women what they should and shouldn't do with their bodies long enough in this country?

It's funny how the boomers causing the decline of life quality for young people are the same people also alarmed by decline of birth rate and are perplexed at how to solve it.

The reason is simple, young people have no money due to wages not rising with inflation and have no prospect of owning a home due to the never ending housing crisis. Many cannot afford to have a child without falling into poverty and also feel it would be irresponsible to bring a child into an unstable rental situation where they could be turfed out onto the streets or their parents shed at a moments notice.

The solution is also simple, mass transfer of wealth from the old and rich to the young and poor. Flood the housing market with properties particularly through taxing the hell out of vacant properties and banning foreign investors buying property, and make the minimum wage a living wage.

But of course the FF/FG electorate don't want to hear about solutions that hit their pocket so the birth rate will continue to fall and young Irish will continue to emigrate.

Go away with your facts ! Can you imagine the difference in tax contribution v drain of a contributing citizen v a cradle to grave lifer, possible crime, free housimg, mecucal cats, education, health care, you're talking millions in the difference... we want more kids alright, from a certain demographic...

IIt's Solves part of the problem. They ate swimming in so much money, you know what. Literally do give dual income high earning households, extra incentives to have kids..

Only problem is, they'll probably emigrate out of this swamp, once they have completed their degree... the land of low pay and extortionate income tax rates over 44,000. Why would they stay..

Where's the evidence that it solves part of the problem?

If you have a dual income high earning household they more than likely already have enough money to have kids, some are choosing to have none and some are having some. The decline in average family size evidences that the majority for whatever reasons, be it financial, biological or even trivial, no longer want large families.

Personally, I'd like to have kids but there's no chance I'd be considering to have more than 2 and a lot of others clearly feel the same.