Ireland baptisms decline by 30 percent over ten years

Annual baptisms in Ireland have decreased by 30 percent over the last decade, according to research from the Iona Institute. The decline is attributed to two primary factors: falling birth rates and increasing secularism.

Research indicates that the drop in births accounts for approximately 60 percent of the decrease. Birth rates in the Republic of Ireland fell by 19.9 percent, while Northern Ireland saw a 21.3 percent decline during the same period. Additionally, the rise of the ‘nones’—those identifying with no religion—has significantly impacted figures. Census data shows that the percentage of children aged 0-4 identified as Catholic dropped from 78.3 percent in 2016 to 65.4 percent in 2022, while those with no religion rose from 9.2 percent to 15.6 percent.

The Dublin Archdiocese reported a 40 percent fall in baptisms over the last ten years, coinciding with local birth rate declines.