Ireland's population has passed the 5 million mark for the first time since the Famine.
It increased by 34 thousand in the year to April, to bring the total to 5.01 million, according to new CSO figures.
The number of Irish nationals returning over the last year is the highest since 2007.
While the number of over 65s living here has risen by almost 20 per cent in the last five years.
