Ireland Catholic baptisms decline by nearly 30% in decade

Catholic baptisms in Ireland have declined by nearly 30% between 2015 and 2025, according to a report by the Iona Institute. The study identifies two primary drivers for this trend: falling birth rates and rising secularism.

Birth rate declines account for approximately 60% of the drop, while the remainder is attributed to increasing secularization. Census data supports this shift, showing that the percentage of the Irish population identifying as Catholic fell from over 79% in 2016 to 69% in 2022. Additionally, the number of people identifying as having “no religion” has risen rapidly over the last decade.

The Archdiocese of Dublin experienced the most significant decrease, with baptisms falling by nearly 40%. While a 2025 study found that 40% of the Irish population views the Church negatively—often attributed to past revelations of abuse in Church-led institutions—the report notes that continued baptism rates among “cultural” Catholics may suggest that negative attitudes are not as deeply entrenched as feared.