Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland
Ireland: Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths was 136 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
136 deaths
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
144th
of 199 countries
All-time high
1,209 deaths
in 1961
All-time low
132 deaths
in 2020
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland, 1961–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland is 136 deaths, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and down 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland peaked at 1,209 deaths in 1961 and was at its lowest, 132 deaths, in 2020.
Ireland ranks 144th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,209 deaths | — |
| 1962 | 1,180 deaths | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 1,155 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 1,127 deaths | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 1,079 deaths | -4.3% |
| 1966 | 1,012 deaths | -6.2% |
| 1967 | 945 deaths | -6.6% |
| 1968 | 890 deaths | -5.8% |
| 1969 | 864 deaths | -2.9% |
| 1970 | 840 deaths | -2.8% |
| 1971 | 841 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 838 deaths | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 831 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 817 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 768 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 732 deaths | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 691 deaths | -5.6% |
| 1978 | 643 deaths | -6.9% |
| 1979 | 597 deaths | -7.2% |
| 1980 | 548 deaths | -8.2% |
| 1981 | 490 deaths | -10.6% |
| 1982 | 451 deaths | -8.0% |
| 1983 | 405 deaths | -10.2% |
| 1984 | 364 deaths | -10.1% |
| 1985 | 333 deaths | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 313 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1987 | 291 deaths | -7.0% |
| 1988 | 268 deaths | -7.9% |
| 1989 | 252 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1990 | 251 deaths | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 243 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 230 deaths | -5.3% |
| 1993 | 215 deaths | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 205 deaths | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 202 deaths | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 207 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 214 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 219 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 218 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 218 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 223 deaths | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 224 deaths | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 214 deaths | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 199 deaths | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 181 deaths | -9.0% |
| 2006 | 177 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 182 deaths | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 187 deaths | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 188 deaths | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 188 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 187 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 181 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 173 deaths | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 165 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 158 deaths | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 150 deaths | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 143 deaths | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 139 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 136 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 132 deaths | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 144 deaths | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 132 deaths | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 135 deaths | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 136 deaths | +0.7% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 136 deaths is below the median for high income countries, which is 155 deaths, 88% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 136 deaths is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 167 deaths, 81% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,051 deaths | 864 deaths | 1,209 deaths | 9 |
| 1970s | 759.8 deaths | 597 deaths | 841 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 371.5 deaths | 252 deaths | 548 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 220.4 deaths | 202 deaths | 251 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 199.3 deaths | 177 deaths | 224 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 162 deaths | 136 deaths | 188 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 135.8 deaths | 132 deaths | 144 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
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)
- 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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland?
- Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in Ireland was 136 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of neonatal, infant and child deaths recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 1,209 deaths in 1961.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal, infant and child deaths recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 132 deaths in 2020.
- How does Ireland rank for number of neonatal, infant and child deaths?
- Ireland ranks 144th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal, infant and child deaths rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.6%. 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 Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days .