The purpose of this NESC secretariat paper is to answer two main questions:

• How effectively do Irish policies incorporate demography?

and

• How successful has Ireland been at population modelling?

Ireland’s ability to successfully navigate several demographic shifts that are happening simultaneously will depend on proactive policymaking, investment in human capital, and the creation of an inclusive society that maximises the benefits of its evolving population. This raises the question of how effectively Irish policies have incorporated demographic considerations to date.