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Ireland's rapid decline in workers is set to exacerbate the country's dependency ratio, with a child born today facing a significant burden in funding the care of future generations. This is a worrying trend that highlights the need for immediate action to address the root causes of this issue.
A child born today may one day revolt against the obligation to fund the care of a generation that failed them. This is due to Ireland's rapid decline in workers and its impact on the dependency ratio.
According to the Central Statistics Office data, Ireland is moving from having four adult workers per retiree in 2026 to only two adult-age taxpayers per retiree by 2050. This unprecedented level of dependency has never been seen before. Historically, Ireland has taken pride in its relatively large population of children, but this has led to a complacent attitude towards the care of its most precious resource.
The country has tolerated long waiting lists for mental health and disability services, chaotic childcare provision, underfunded school places, and the repeated postponement of measures to address child poverty. In just a couple of decades, the same children will be asked to step up and fund healthcare and social care for the adults who voted in and supported a government that failed to ensure children had the conditions they needed to thrive.
The philosopher John Locke predicted a fracturing of the social contract when a government fails to keep its bargain with taxpayers, assigning citizens a moral right to revolution when the state fails to provide. Ireland has gone further than Locke anticipated, breaking the social contract with future generations of taxpayers by appeasing the immediate demands of the electorate.
A child born today may revolt against the obligation to fund elder care for the very adults that looked the other way and let them down
Ireland Dependency Ratio Decline In Workers Child Poverty Social Contract
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