The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has revealed how - with population growth of 64,500 in the year to April 2018 - Ireland has experienced the largest annual increase since 2008

The annual Population and Migration Estimates for April 2018 reveals that Ireland's usually resident population was estimated to be 4,857,000 in April 2018.

It shows that while 90,300 persons immigrated to Ireland in the year to April 2018, 28,400 (31.5%) of these were returning Irish nationals and that of the 56,300 people who emigrated from Ireland in the year to April 2018, 28,300 (50.3%) were estimated to be Irish nationals.

Population growth of 64,500 in the year to April 2018, the largest annual increase since 2008https://t.co/A6wTaM0ZmK#Ireland pic.twitter.com/Z1crJcOuyP — Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) August 28, 2018

The report also shows that in 2018, Irish nationals experienced net inward migration (+100) for the first time since 2009, a significant increase on 2012 when net outward migration of Irish nationals peaked at -29,600.

Net inward migration among non-Irish nationals also remained strong and was estimated to be +33,900 in 2018.

The report

Press Statement Population and Migration Estimates 2018https://t.co/Fx4NUz1Gsu#Ireland pic.twitter.com/tMlsgELIcK — Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) August 28, 2018

Commenting on the latest report, James Hegarty, a Statistician with the CSO said the number of immigrants to the State in the year to April 2018 is estimated to be 90,300, while the number of emigrants from the State over the same period is estimated at 56,300.

"These combined flows resulted in net inward migration for Ireland in the year to April 2018 of +34,000, the highest level of net inward migration since 2008. The number of births in the same period was 61,200 while the number of deaths was 30,700, resulting in a natural increase of 30,500.

"The effect of this natural increase and positive net migration resulted in an overall increase in the population of 64,500. This is the largest annual increase in the population since 2008, bringing the population estimate to 4.86 million in April 2018.

Fás 64,500 duine ar an daonra sa bhliain go mí Aibreáin 2018, an méadú bliaintiúil is mó ó 2008 i leith



Preasráiteas: https://t.co/Fx4NUz1Gsu .EN

Eisiúint: https://t.co/A6wTaM0ZmK .EN#Éire #daonra #imirce pic.twitter.com/d3gNuTdrg2 — Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) August 28, 2018

He went on: "In the year to April 2018, Irish nationals accounted for 28,400 (31.5%) of the 90,300 immigrants to Ireland and 28,300 (50.3%) of the 56,300 emigrants from Ireland. Consequently, net inward migration of Irish nationals in 2018 was +100; this is the first occurrence of net inward migration for Irish nationals since 2009. It represents a significant increase on 2012 when net outward migration of Irish nationals peaked at -29,600.

"In the year to April 2018, 61,900 non-Irish nationals arrived to live in Ireland and 28,000 non-Irish nationals emigrated abroad. Therefore net inward migration among non-Irish nationals remained strong and was estimated to be +33,900 in 2018."

- Digital Desk