The Alarming Rise of Excess Deaths in Ireland

**Last Updated on 1st December 2024

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 14.8% or 4,600 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2022: A rise of 18.1% or 5,600 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2023: A rise of 18.7% or 5,800 excess RIP.ie death notices.
• 2024: A rise of 18.1% or 5,100 excess RIP.ie death notices.

In total, there has been over 21,200 excess RIP.ie death notices from 2021 to 2024, and the numbers continue to climb.

RIP.ie Excess Deaths Since 2020

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Cumulative Excess Deaths Post Pandemic

RIP.ie Excess Deaths & Sudden Deaths Since 2015

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excess-by-month-year-sudden

RIP.ie Excess Deaths by County 2024

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