The statistics agency looked at three possible scenarios for population increase between 2023 and 2057, using the 2022 census as a foundation and being led by a committee of CSO officials and other outside specialists.

The CSO clarified that the data only represents potential population evolution under various scenarios, not an effort to predict Ireland's future migration and demographic trends.

According to the three alternative scenarios, the population may have grown to 7.005 million in 24 years at the highest end.

In contrast, in a different case, it may increase to 6.446 million.

Although this is the lower end of the expected population, by 2057 there can be 5.734 million people living here.

"The key change in each of these scenarios is the net migration per annum, assumptions regarding fertility and mortality remain constant across the three scenarios," according to the CSO.

The study looks at how population growth varies depending on low, medium, and high migration levels.

Assuming a high migration rate, net migration would begin at 75,000 in

2022 and gradually decline to 45,000 annually by 2027, staying at this level until 2057.

In this scenario, the population would increase throughout the 35 years leading up to 2057 by 1,821,478 or 35.1%.

Under the second medium-level estimate, net migration would likewise begin in 2022 at 75,000 and then gradually decline to 30,000 annually by 2032, staying at this level until 2057.

As a result, the population would rise to 6.45 million, a 24.4% increase of 1,262,297.

In contrast, migration would begin at 75,000 in 2022 and gradually decline to 10,000 annually by 2032 before staying at this level until 2057, according to the low-level projection.

In 2057, there would be a mere 10.6% increase in population, or 549,685, reaching 5.73 million.

The CSO also discovered that, depending on the scenario selected, there would be a change from the current situation in which there are more births than deaths to one in which the opposite is true by the 2040s.