TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

The Eastern region of Ireland is home to some of the richest cities in Europe. With an American-
style focus on trade and technology, and social and political policies to match, these quasi-
autonomous city regions, led by US style elected mayors, have contributed to Irelands
pioneering status in medical research and nano-technology development.
To the Western side of the island the heritage industry dominates the economy. Much to the
chagrin of true lovers of Irish culture – its art, its crafts, its music and its oral tradition – the
customs of yesterday have been packaged, promoted and presented for the tasteless consumers
of today.
People
In the world of “The Sow of Liberty” materialistic attitudes are dominant, and the widening gap
between rich and poor is a source of much civil unrest, rising crime and growing drug
dependency. Though, for many, the standards of living are high, the quality of life is rather
low. The populace has little time for public affairs and concept of citizenship, and scant regard
for the fading European ideal.
Everything is for sale that can be sold in the Ireland of 2030. Intrinsic cultural, architectural,
archaeological, social and environmental values have long been eroded in the face of the
onslaught of mass consumerism. The road from Dublin to Belfast, for example, has effectively
become one long chain of strip-mall.
In terms of community, the family still plays a very important role, especially among the poorer
sections of society. And community spirit is thriving in small villages. Religion is also important
for many people, although Christian Evangelism and the Muslim faith attract more devout
congregations than the quietism of the Roman Catholic church.
With regard to demographics, the sustained growth of the Irish economy up to 2030 has led to
continued high net migration levels, averaging 29,000 a year from 2010 to 2020 and 20,000 a
year from 2020 to 2030. The total population for the island of Ireland now stands at 7.4 million,
5.45 million of which is to be found in the “Old Republic”, and 5.2 million lives in the Eastern
Conurbation. The Greater Dublin Area, with a population of 2.3 million, is now home to an
immigrant population of 80,000 Turks, 50,000 Sri Lankans and 120,000 Indians. One in five
“Dubliners” are Irish by descent. The age structure of the population has almost reached parity
in terms of old and young, with 0.95 million children in the 0-14 age bracket and 0.97 million
persons in the 65+ age bracket, leaving a dependency ratio of around 35%. A significant richpoor
divide has produced contrasting fertility figures, with the better-off tending to have their
families in their 30’s, and the less well-off in their 20’s, but the overall fertility rate stays at
around 1.95 with an average of about 65,000 births a year. Life expectancy now stands at 78 for
males and 83 for females, disappointingly low due to increasing deaths from obesity, heart
disease and cancer.
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