What are excess deaths (as used on this site)?

Excess deaths are the number of fatalities in a given period above the expected level, where “expected” is based on the pre-pandemic average from 2015–2019.

How are excess deaths calculated here?

They are calculated as the difference between observed deaths (or RIP.ie notices) and expected deaths, using 2015–2019 as the baseline for the same time period (like-for-like monthly or YTD comparisons).

What is the trend in Ireland up to 2026?

The data indicates sustained excess mortality since 2021, with estimated increases of 14.4% (2021), 17.9% (2022), 18.0% (2023), 17.6% (2024), 12.9% (2025) and 16.2% (2026) remaining above the baseline.

How many excess RIP.ie death notices have been recorded up to 2026?

Using RIP.ie notices as a proxy measure, there have been close to 26,000 excess notices from 2021 to 2026 (ytd) compared with the 2015–2019 baseline.

Why is there limited public debate or investigation into excess deaths?

There is ongoing concern that the public and political response has not matched the scale of the trend, with criticism that official engagement has been insufficient or slow.

What could be driving these premature deaths?

The causes are not established by this dataset alone. The persistent rise raises urgent questions about contributing factors, and highlights the need for transparent analysis using official mortality and health system data.

How can further excess deaths be reduced in Ireland?

Reducing excess mortality requires timely investigation, clear public reporting, and targeted interventions from health authorities—especially where patterns suggest preventable drivers.

If the acute phase of the pandemic has passed, what may be contributing to higher mortality in 2026?

This remains a central question. Potential explanations cannot be confirmed from RIP.ie notices alone, but the continued gap versus baseline suggests multiple factors may be contributing and should be formally assessed.

What actions are being taken to safeguard population health in 2026?

A key focus is on transparency and accountability: clear publication of mortality analyses, robust investigation of drivers, and evidence-based public health actions by government and health officials.