Explaining the Fertility Decline in Ireland

Cathal O'Donoghue and Eamon O'Shea
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Eamon O'Shea: Department of Economics, National University of Ireland, Galway

No 69, Working Papers from National University of Ireland Galway, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper examines explanations for the large decline in fertility that occurred in Ireland between 1970 and the mid 1990?s. We find that the increased opportunity cost of having a child together with the postponement of birth and marriage are important drivers in the fall. Declining male employment rates increase uncertainty and so reduce fertility rates. The income effect of higher husband?s incomes, reducing the impact of the increased opportunity costs for lower order births tend to move fertility in the opposite direction. However for later order births, they accentuate the fall, perhaps due to a demand for greater quality for existing children.

JEL-codes: J11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003, Revised 2003
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