Infant mortality rate in Ireland
Ireland: Infant mortality rate was 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.3432 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
166th
of 199 countries
All-time high
4.68 deaths per 100 live births
in 1949
All-time low
0.2998 deaths per 100 live births
in 2018
Years of data
76
1949–2024
Infant mortality rate in Ireland, 1949–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, infant mortality rate in Ireland stood at 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Ireland peaked at 4.68 deaths per 100 live births in 1949 and was at its lowest, 0.2998 deaths per 100 live births, in 2018.
That places Ireland 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate in Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 4.68 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1950 | 4.52 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1951 | 4.36 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1952 | 4.17 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1953 | 3.99 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1954 | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1955 | 3.66 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1956 | 3.52 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1957 | 3.41 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 3.3 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1959 | 3.17 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1960 | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1961 | 2.92 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1962 | 2.81 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1963 | 2.71 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 2.6 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1965 | 2.48 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 2.35 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1967 | 2.2 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 1968 | 2.07 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1969 | 1.98 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1970 | 1.91 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 1.86 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 1.83 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 1.75 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1976 | 1.61 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1977 | 1.52 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1978 | 1.42 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 1979 | 1.3 deaths per 100 live births | -8.0% |
| 1980 | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | -8.4% |
| 1981 | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1982 | 1.03 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1983 | 0.9719 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1984 | 0.9256 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1985 | 0.8887 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 0.862 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 0.8429 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 0.8237 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 0.7969 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 0.7613 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1991 | 0.7181 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1992 | 0.6732 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1993 | 0.6361 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 0.6141 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 0.6062 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.6062 deaths per 100 live births | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.6094 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 0.6122 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 0.61 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 0.5996 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 0.5782 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 0.5458 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5085 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 2004 | 0.4706 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 0.4367 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 0.4098 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 0.3904 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 0.3764 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3652 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 0.3557 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 0.3477 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 0.3405 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 0.3332 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 0.3255 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 0.3176 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 0.3098 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 0.3032 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2998 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3012 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 0.3068 deaths per 100 live births | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 0.316 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3272 deaths per 100 live births | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 0.337 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births | +1.8% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births, 95% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.3422 deaths per 100 live births, 1.0× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 4.68 deaths per 100 live births | 4.68 deaths per 100 live births | 4.68 deaths per 100 live births | 1 |
| 1950s | 3.79 deaths per 100 live births | 3.17 deaths per 100 live births | 4.52 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.52 deaths per 100 live births | 1.98 deaths per 100 live births | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.67 deaths per 100 live births | 1.3 deaths per 100 live births | 1.91 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9431 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7969 deaths per 100 live births | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6447 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6062 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7613 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4681 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3652 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5996 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2998 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3557 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3261 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3068 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 163 United Arab Emirates 0.3781 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 164 Poland 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 165 Denmark 0.3528 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 167 France 0.343 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 168 Switzerland 0.3422 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 169 Netherlands 0.3403 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,122 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7228 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6489 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in Ireland?
- Infant mortality rate in Ireland was 0.3432 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.68 deaths per 100 live births in 1949.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2998 deaths per 100 live births in 2018.
- How does Ireland rank for infant mortality rate?
- Ireland ranks 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .