The Alarming Rise of Excess Deaths in Ireland
**Last Updated on 3rd June 2025
Introduction
In recent years, Ireland has witnessed a concerning surge in excess deaths. These are the number of fatalities/deaths in a given period that surpass the average of the pre-pandemic years of 2015-2019. This page aims to delves into the data.
Understanding Excess Deaths
Excess deaths serve as a crucial metric to gauge the health and well-being of a nation. They represent the difference between the observed and expected number of deaths in a specific timeframe. Various methods, including a five-year rolling average, are employed to calculate these figures.
The Startling Numbers
According to data from the General Register Office (GRO) and RIP.ie, Ireland has experienced a significant rise in excess deaths since 2021:
• 2021: A rise of 14.5% or 4,550 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2022: A rise of 17.8% or 5,550 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2023: A rise of 18.0% or 5,660 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2024: A rise of 17.8% or 5,550 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2025: A rise of 10.1% or 1,400 excess RIP.ie death notices.
In total, there has been over 22,800 excess RIP.ie death notices from 2021 to 2025, and the numbers continue to climb.
RIP.ie Excess Deaths Since 2020
Cumulative Excess Deaths Post Pandemic
RIP.ie Excess Deaths & Sudden Deaths Since 2015
RIP.ie Excess Deaths by County 2025
***An analysis of funeral directors' data reveals that many have stopped publishing death notices on RIP.ie following the introduction of a €100 fee per listing***
