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Ireland's population is set to explode by an extra two million people by the year 2051, new figures show.

The Central Statistics Office said if the high fertility and migration rates continue, then the country’s population will balloon to 6.69 million by 2051.

However, experts say the number of people living here is still expected to reach 5.58 million in the next few decades.

The latest Census figures showed that the population stood at 4.74 million in April 2016.

Wednesday's figures reveal there will be between 1.5 and 1.6 million people living in the country who will be aged 65 years and over by 2051, compared to 629,800 in 2016.

Two years ago 13.3% of the population were aged 65 and above but in 33 years that will have jumped to between 23.9% and 27.4%.

And the number of those aged 80 and over will jump from 147,800 in 2016 to between 535,900 549,000 in 2051, a massive increase of between 262.6% and 271.4%.

Statistician James Hegarty said about the latest findings: “Ireland’s population, which stood at 4.74 million in April 2016, is projected to reach 6.69 million in 2051 (a rise of just under two million persons) if there is high net inward migration and high fertility.

“Even with low net inward migration and declining fertility, Ireland’s population is still expected to reach 5.58 million in 2051.”

He added: “The report is not an attempt to predict the future but rather presents how the population could evolve under different scenarios.

“By making assumptions about future trends in mortality, migration and fertility, we can project the population forward and examine the possible outcomes for demographic groups such as the school-going population, the working-age population and the elderly.”

The figures released also show the number of children attending primary school is on the up.

In 2016 it was estimated that 548,100 kids were in primary education but that number will jump to between 555,500 and 562,000 by 2021.

However, it will decline then after that with numbers expected to fall to between 510,900 and 457,600 by 2031.

And the secondary school-aged population is projected to increase by between 67,300 and 75,700 by 2026, an increase of between 18.2% and 20.5% on the 2016 level of 369,900 persons.

(Image: Gareth Chaney Collins)

And by 2051, there will be between 330,300 and 439,600 secondary school-aged children.

And on the jobs front, the labour market is set to grow also.

According to the CSO, assuming net inward migration of 10,000 people annually, the labour force is expected to grow from 2,338,600 persons in 2016 to 2,628,700 in 2031, a rise of 12.4% over the period.

And on the jobs front, the labour market is set to grow also.

According to the CSO, assuming net inward migration of 10,000 people annually, the labour force is expected to grow from 2,338,600 persons in 2016 to 2,628,700 in 2031, a rise of 12.4% over the period.

Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, welcomed strong jobs numbers published by the CSO and said the numbers provide more evidence of strong positive momentum in the economy, with employment up 2.9% annually in the first quarter of this year.

While Fine Gael TD for Limerick, and Vice Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Business Enterprise and Innovation, Tom Neville said: “2.2 million people are now at work in the State according to the CSO. This surpasses the previous employment peak in 2007 by over 6,000, meaning that all of the jobs lost in the economic catastrophe suffered by this country have now been restored.

“Restoring the jobs lost was Fine Gael’s principle aim when we took office at the peak of the employment crisis.”