The Irish Funeral Industry Report: Sector Size, Demand and Funeral Planning

Written By Private Cremation

The Irish Funeral Industry Report: Sector Size, Demand and Funeral Planning

Ireland's funeral sector relies on a nationwide network of funeral-service providers. These teams work alongside healthcare professionals, coroners, registrars, crematoria, cemeteries, and bereavement services.

Together, they manage the practical steps that follow tens of thousands of deaths each year: certification, registration, transport, authorisations, care of the person who died , funeral arrangements, and returning or interring ashes. Most families encounter that system infrequently and often without warning.

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The Report at a Glance

  • Ireland's funeral sector had 496 enterprises and employed 1,295 people in 2023, with €171.34 million in net turnover.

  • 18.8% more deaths were registered in 2025 than in 2015, rising from 29,952 to 35,587.

  • 83.3% of deaths registered in 2025 were among people aged 65 and over, 29,645 of 35,587 deaths.

  • 27.0% of coronial cases involved a post-mortem, 6,165 of 22,853 cases.

  • 15.8% of Ireland's population was aged 65 and over in April 2025, 861,100 people, or roughly one in six.

  • 41.7% of deaths occurred in hospital in 2023 and 24.5% occurred at home, 14,880 and 8,725 deaths respectively.

  • 80% of 1,000 surveyed adults had not made or shared funeral arrangements, and 66% had not written a will.

  • 66.7% to 74.6% more deaths a year are projected on average for 2052 to 2057 than for 2022 to 2027, depending on the scenario. The later period ranges from 61.5 to 64.6 thousand deaths a year.

Taken together, these figures show a sector supporting more families as Ireland's population ages and annual deaths are projected to rise. Many people have not made or shared funeral arrangements, so decisions may still fall to a family in the days after a death.

The Size and Structure of Ireland's Funeral Sector

The latest available figures for Ireland's funeral and related activities category cover 2023. The Eurostat Structural Business Statistics dataset for funeral and related activities uses NACE Rev. 2 class S9603. That is the European classification for enterprises whose main business is funeral and related services.

The category goes beyond cremation alone, and it leaves out businesses that earn some funeral-related income as a secondary activity. It counts a defined category, not every business that helps with a funeral.

Sector measure Ireland, 2023
Enterprises 496
Persons employed 1,295
Net turnover €171.34 million
Value added €81.48 million
Wages and salaries €37.15 million

The figures point to a sector made up mainly of many small providers. In practice that often means the local funeral director a family already knows by name.

One caution: these figures describe the size of the sector, not the price of an individual funeral.

How to Read the Industry and Mortality Data

These measures describe different parts of the same system, and they are not interchangeable or additive. Adding one to another produces a number that means nothing.

Measure What it counts What it is used for here
Funeral-sector business statistics Enterprises whose principal activity is classified as funeral and related activities Sector structure, employment and economic activity in 2023
Registered deaths Deaths entered in the registration system during a calendar year Current registration volume and age profile in 2025
Deaths occurring Deaths grouped by the year in which the death took place Place-of-death analysis for 2023
Coronial cases Cases recorded in annual returns from coroners Administrative workload and variation in 2025
Projected average annual deaths Scenario-based estimates averaged across five-year periods Long-term context for future service need

Registered Deaths Show the Scale of Current Need

Death registrations provide the most recent national registration measure used in this report. They show how many deaths entered the registration system during 2025, not the number of funerals arranged or the final count of deaths that occurred that year. 

According to the Central Statistics Office Vital Statistics Yearly Summary 2025, 35,587 deaths were registered in 2025.

*Change in 2015 is a Private Cremation calculation from the CSO registration counts, rounded to one decimal place.

Registered deaths rose over that decade while the rate per 1,000 people barely moved.

More deaths are registered each year without the population dying at a faster rate, which is why the population figures ahead matter as much as these ones.

Age Breakdown for Registered Deaths

In 2025, 83.3% of registered deaths were among people aged 65 and over. Within the total, 36.4% were aged 85 and over, 46.9% were aged 65 to 84, and 16.7% were under 65.

Coronial Workload Shows the System's Administrative Complexity

Registration totals show how much work there is. Coronial returns show how uneven that work can be. They record cases handled by coroners, separated into cases resolved through reporting, cases involving a post-mortem, and cases proceeding to an inquest.

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Coroner's Annual Returns 2025 recorded 22,853 coronial cases across the Republic of Ireland.

Coronial case category Cases in 2025 Cases per 100 registered deaths (2025 comparison)
Report only 16,688 46.9%
Report and post-mortem 3,705 10.4%
Report, post-mortem and inquest 2,460 6.9%
Total 22,853 64.2%

This is a comparison of separate annual administrative totals: coronial cases are not additional deaths and cannot be read as the share of individual deaths involving a coroner.

  • 27.0% of coronial cases involved a post-mortem. That figure combines the 16.2% of cases closed with a report and post-mortem and the 10.8% that also went to an inquest.

  • Inquests were recorded in 10.8% of coronial cases.

Two families arranging a funeral in the same week can face different paperwork and different points of contact, set by the route their case takes rather than by anything they choose.

Ireland's Ageing Population Points to Higher Long-Term Need

Ireland's population aged 65 and over is both large and still growing.

  • 861,100 people were aged 65 and over in April 2025, 15.8% of the population and roughly one in six.

  • The population aged 65 and over grew 36.7% between 2016 and 2025, from 629,900 to 861,200 in the Department of Health series.

  • Every CSO scenario projects more than one million people aged 65 and over by 2030.

Current population estimates explain part of the pressure already visible in the death-registration data. Projections then outline how the older population could develop under different demographic assumptions.

The Central Statistics Office Population and Migration Estimates, April 2025 put Ireland's total population at 5,458,600. Of these, 861,100 people were aged 65 and over. That equals 15.8% of the population.

A separate Department of Health table, based on Central Statistics Office data and presented in thousands, provides a full annual series. It shows the population aged 65 and over rising from 629,900 in 2016 to 861,200 in 2025. That represents an increase of 36.7%.

Looking at Future Scenarios

Current estimates and future scenarios should remain separate. The Central Statistics Office Population and Labour Force Projections 2023-2057 start from a 2022 baseline of 781,400 people aged 65 and over. They project that the group will exceed one million by 2030 under all three scenarios.

Scenario Population aged 65 and over, 2057 Share of total population
M1, high migration 1,944,400 27.8%
M2, medium migration 1,879,500 29.2%
M3, low migration 1,809,500 31.6%

The shares are Private Cremation calculations drawn from the CSO scenario counts and total populations, rounded to one decimal place.

Every scenario points the same way. Migration assumptions change the total population, the number aged 65 and over, and that group’s share of the population. 

Higher migration raises the total population faster than it raises the number aged 65 and over, so the high-migration scenario (M1) shows the largest number of older people with the smallest share, and the low-migration scenario (M3) the smallest number with the largest share. 

The direction remains the same: Ireland’s older population rises substantially in every scenario.

Average Annual Deaths are Projected to Rise in Every Scenario

The CSO estimates average annual deaths across seven five-year periods.

For 2052 to 2057, the CSO table shows projected annual averages of 64.6 thousand under M1, 63.1 thousand under M2, and 61.5 thousand under M3.

The rise between the first period and the last is large in every scenario. Measured against the 2022 to 2027 averages, the 2052 to 2057 averages are 74.6% higher under high migration (M1), 71.0% higher under medium migration (M2), and 66.7% higher under low migration (M3).

*These comparisons are Private Cremation calculations from the CSO table above. Each figure compares five-year period averages, not single-year forecasts.

Every scenario points to substantially greater annual need in later decades. They disagree on the figure, not the direction.

The projected rise unfolds over several decades, giving providers a longer planning horizon. For families, it means something simpler: in a given year, more households may be arranging a funeral than today.

Where People Die Affects the Practical Pathway Families Follow

Place of death changes the organisations involved at the beginning of an arrangement. It can shape who makes the first contact, how the cause of death is certified, and if a coroner steps in. It also influences how release is authorised and how care is transferred.

It does not dictate the family's choice between burial, cremation, an attended funeral, or an unattended service.

The latest verified occurrence-based annual report provides a 2023 view. According to the Central Statistics Office Vital Statistics Annual Report 2023: Deaths, 35,649 deaths occurred in Ireland during 2023.

The final row combines the remaining listed settings.

A death in a hospital, nursing home, or hospice usually starts with staff who coordinate the initial documentation and handover, so the family has someone beside them for the first step. 

A home death, close to a quarter of the total, more often begins with the family making the first call. It does not automatically become a coronial case: the next steps depend on the circumstances, medical certification, and any coroner involvement. Routes vary in every setting.

Four in Five Surveyed Adults Had Not Made or Shared Funeral Arrangements

The operational pressure shown by the death and coronial data grows when families lack guidance from the person who died. Recent survey evidence suggests that situation remains common.

A Royal London Ireland survey on end-of-life planning published in July 2025 found that 80% of respondents had not made or shared funeral arrangements.

The survey covered 1,000 adults across Ireland. iReach carried it out for Royal London Ireland.

The same survey found that:

  • 20% had discussed funeral arrangements or made arrangements in advance.

  • 66% had not written a will.

  • 35% had taken none of the end-of-life preparation measures covered by the research.

The Gap Between Intention and Action

Broader end-of-life research highlights a similar gap between intention and action, though it measures different behaviours. The TILDA and NICOLA report, Planning for End of Life on the Island of Ireland (PDF) found that, among TILDA participants aged 50 and over at Wave 4, fewer than 3% reported a formal advance care plan. A further 24% had held informal discussions, while 74% had neither. 

A Will and Funeral Wishes are Different Records

Three documents or conversations can serve very different purposes:

  • Funeral wishes record preferences for the funeral and farewell.

  • A will deals with property and the estate.

  • An advance healthcare directive records healthcare preferences for situations where a person cannot communicate them.

That distinction matters in practice. A separate An Post Insurance survey on Irish funerals, carried out by RED C in February 2024, found that 88% of 605 adults aged 50 and over had not included their funeral wishes in their will. It asks a different question of a different group from the Royal London research above, so the two figures sit alongside each other rather than as a trend.

For a family, that gap shows up after the death. The will settles the estate, and the funeral decisions still have to be made in the days immediately after.

Recording Wishes is a Separate Step

A person can document their final wishes without purchasing a funeral service. The record only works if someone knows it exists, so telling a trusted person where to find it matters as much as writing it.

Planning ahead does not remove every decision. Circumstances, services, prices, and family preferences can change over time. Planning ahead can reduce guesswork. Instead of working out what the person would have wanted, the family starts from an answer.

The Wider Impact of Bereavement

The annual number of deaths understates the number of people who may need information, support, or time to adjust after a loss.

The Irish Hospice Foundation report Dying, Death and Bereavement in Ireland 2026 (PDF) notes that Ireland has no exact annual count of newly bereaved people.

It suggests each death can significantly affect up to ten adults and children. It uses that estimate to place the number newly bereaved at more than 350,000 a year, around 6% of the population.

These are estimates of the wider reach of bereavement, not a fixed count for every death. The practical value of that estimate is the reach it describes. Around every funeral sits a wider circle of relatives, friends, colleagues, carers, and community members, and most of them have no formal part in the arrangements.

Clear first-step guidance, readable documents, and accessible support reach that circle too, not just the person legally responsible for making the funeral arrangements.

What the Evidence Means for Families and Funeral Services

Four pressures run through this evidence, and they compound each other. Substantial workload and administrative pathways that vary case to case are already here. Demographic growth points to more of both, and limited preparation leaves much of that work with families deciding for the first time, at speed, with no record to work from.

Clear First Steps Reduce Uncertainty

In the first hours after a death, a family needs to know who can certify it, if a coroner is involved, who will handle the transfer, and which choices cannot wait.

The exact route depends on the circumstances, and knowing what to do when someone passes gives a family a starting point on the first day.

Providers and public bodies can help by stating responsibilities clearly. They can separate required documents from optional choices and avoid promising a universal timeline.

Transparent Service Comparisons Matter

A headline price may not show the full cost. Families should compare what is included, which third-party charges apply, what can vary, and which items they would arrange separately. Care, transport, professional work, third-party charges, notices, ceremonies, and optional items may all be handled differently.

A useful comparison asks:

  • What care and transport are included?

  • Which professional and administrative services are covered?

  • Which crematorium, burial, or third-party charges apply?

  • What can vary by location, timing, or personal choice?

  • Which optional items would the family arrange separately?

Independent CCPC guidance recommends requesting a clear written estimate and itemised breakdown before agreeing to any arrangements. It notes that costs may vary based on service type, location, and timing. Items such as headstones or notices may be separate.

Comparing funeral costs in Ireland like with like is easier when those components are listed separately. Families should still check current prices, inclusions, and payment terms directly on the relevant live provider page.

Nationwide and Remote Access Can Reduce Practical Strain

Families may arrange care from another county, another country, or another time zone. Clear phone and online routes can reduce travel and administration when supported by human care, readable guidance, and consistent information. Our private cremation services in Ireland can be arranged this way, by phone and online.

Remote arrangement should simplify communication, not remove personal care.

Cross-Border Arrangements Need Careful Coordination

A death involving another country can add authorities, documents, transport providers, embassies, consulates, and carrier rules.

Documentation and liaison are the parts a provider can take on, and our repatriation support for Ireland covers both. Requirements still vary by jurisdiction, destination, authority, and carrier.

Families should review the specific requirements for each case instead of relying on a universal checklist.

Funeral Planning Should Remain Low Pressure

Discussing wishes does not require a purchase or a complete funeral plan. A short record, a conversation with a trusted person, and clarity about where documents are kept can reduce uncertainty. Anyone considering a prepaid arrangement should check current inclusions, variable costs, cancellation terms and delivery conditions.

Private Cremation is the only fixed-cost prepaid funeral plan available in Ireland, offering single payment plans and part payment plans spread over 1, 2 or 3 years. 

This means you can pay for your funeral with a lump sum or monthly instalments by locking in the current prices and protecting your family against nasty inflation rises. It allows your loved ones to celebrate your life without having to make stressful financial decisions. Providers should keep websites and documents consistent, qualify variable items, and make the first contact straightforward. Transparency forms part of the service.

What the Irish Funeral Industry Data Shows

  • Ireland's funeral sector combines 496 enterprises, 1,295 people employed, and €171.34 million in net turnover, all for 2023.

  • Current workload includes 35,587 registered deaths in 2025, 22,853 coronial cases in the same year, and multiple place-of-death pathways. The first two are separate counts rather than one running total.

  • 861,100 people were aged 65 and over in April 2025, 15.8% of the population. Every CSO scenario projects average annual deaths of 61.5 to 64.6 thousand for 2052 to 2057.

  • 80% of adults in the Royal London survey had not made or shared funeral arrangements, and 66% had not written a will. That gap increases the value of clear information and accessible planning.

Families who want the practical steps in order can see how private cremation works, from the first call to the return of ashes.

 

Important note on the data used in the report

CSO registration figures can include deaths that occurred earlier. Department of Justice coronial cases are not additional deaths. CSO projections are future scenarios rather than exact forecasts. The Eurostat observation in this report is the latest available for the category. The Department of Health series is rounded, and figures marked preliminary may be revised.

 

References and Data Sources

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