Census finds average age in Galway up by more than a year

Galwegians are getting older – but we’re still not ageing as quickly as neighbouring counties.

A breakdown of Census 2016 figures has revealed that the average age in Galway rose to 37.5 years – only slightly above the national average of 37.4 years, which was up 1.3 years since 2011.

In Galway City, the average age was a much younger 35.9 – up from 34.6 years five years ago, according to the report by the Central Statistics Office.

Galway City residents were on average 2.7 years younger than those in rural areas. That was a greater discrepancy than the national trend – the average age in rural areas was 2.4 years higher than that in urban areas.

However, the county was still enjoying a younger population than all its other Connacht cousins – Mayo had an average age of 40.2, which along with Kerry had the oldest population in the country. In Leitrim it was 39.8, Roscommon the average age was 39.7, while in Sligo it was 39.2.

The bordering county of Offaly fared slightly better at 37.2 while the banner men and women were just behind at 38.5 years.

The report on age profile compiled from the last Census revealed there was an increase of 1.4 years in the age profile of County Galway over the last five years.

The numbers in preschool and young adults fell both in Galway and nationally. The county recorded a lower percentage decline in the preschool and young adult age groups than that seen nationally, with 6.1% fewer persons in the pre-school age group compared to a fall of 7% nationally.

The number of young adults fell by 3.9% in Galway but by 6.5% at the national level. The number of adults in the county remained static, while the numbers in the other age groups increased.

Age dependency – a measure of how many younger and older people are dependent on the 15 to 64 year old working age population – was 52.5% in Galway. This was in line with the national rate of 52.7%.

Ireland’s population has been getting steadily older since the 1980s. In Census 2016, 37.2% were aged 45 and over, compared with 34.4% in 2011 and 27.6% in 1986. Almost a third of the population – 33.2% – was less than 25 years old, while 29.5% were in the 25-44 age group.

The Dublin suburb of Fingal boasted the youngest population in the country at 34.3 years.

Females were on average 1.3 years older than their male counterparts.

Among the large towns, with a population of 10,000 or over, Killarney in Co Kerry was the oldest, with an average age of 40.9 years, followed by Wexford (39.4), while Balbriggan (30.8) and Maynooth (31.9) were the youngest.

Meanwhile, Galway West TD Hildgarde Naughton warned this week that the census has shown that the overcrowding crisis at Galway’s public hospitals will worsen in the coming years unless new healthcare facilities are provided.

Figures released this week show that the number of older people – classed as those over the age of 65 – in Galway city and county has increased by more than 20% since 2011, with that trend is set to continue.

Deputy Naughton pointed to a direct correlation between the number of older people living in a catchment area and the level of demand for acute hospital services.

“People are more likely to need health services as they get older, and having an ageing population therefore places additional pressure on hospitals to cater for those who require care,” she explained.

“The census data shows us that while we need to continue to invest in primary and community care, demand for hospital services will increase in the coming years and we have a responsibility to ensure that we put the necessary facilities in place now, so that the healthcare needs of our people can be provided for into the future,” said Deputy Naughton.

The Census shows the number of older people in Galway city up by 25.3% since 2011, while the older population in the county has grown by 18.5%.

“The overcrowding crisis is current and it is real. It will only get worse unless action is taken now to safeguard the healthcare needs of our people for this generation and generations to come,” added Deputy Naughton.