Age Profile It is evident from both sources that the national Traveller population has increased in recent years with the 2022 Census reporting a 12% population increase and a 22% increase in household numbers nationally since 2011. This growth is also reflected in the Annual Traveller Count figures that show a 5.9% increase in Traveller households between 2021 and 2023. Despite this growth the Traveller population has consistently represented 6.5 persons in every 1,000 persons nationally since 2011. The Irish state population, with falling birth rates and a high life expectancy, is aging faster than anywhere else in Europe. By contrast the Irish Traveller population has a uniquely young demographic profile, with the average age of Irish Travellers being 27 years in 2022, significantly younger than the average age of 39 years for the total population.
In general, as illustrated in Figure 2, the Traveller population has higher fertility rates and lower life expectancies than the total population. In considering Traveller accommodation needs it is also important to note that in the 2022 Census 15% of Travellers reported having a significant, long-lasting medical condition, nearly twice the proportion in the total population.
Figure 2 Age Profile of Irish Travellers Compared to Total Population (based on CSO Table F5064)
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Cork City Council | Traveller Accommodation Programme 2025-2029
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