By 2065, there will be 98 people in labour market for every 100 not working, meaning a more expensive future and greater pressure to make ends meet. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins
Forty years is a long time; a generation. Over the last 40 years Ireland has undergone massive change to the point that the Ireland of 1985 bares little resemblance to the Ireland of today.
Back then our economy was struggling, high unemployment drove many of our people to foreign shores, our resources were limited and national debt was massively inflated. We were heavily reliant on the agriculture sector, with limited advanced industry to speak of.
Our population was a third smaller than it is today and, at 73, life-expectancy was 10 years below where it now stands. There was less than 10km of motorway compared to 1,000km today and about 22 per cent of school leavers went on to univer
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