The number of children born with disabilities in Ireland will fall by 2030, as women have fewer children.
That’s according to research from the ESRI and Pobal, which shows the number of children with additional needs engaging in a pre-school support programme has "increased rapidly" since its introduction in 2016.
The rates of children born with disabilities were consistently higher in eight counties between the years 2011 and 2016.
The number of children born with disabilities was above the national average in Carlow, Tipperary, Cork, Dublin, Laois, Limerick, Offaly, and Westmeath.
Research from the ESRI and Pobal found the number of children engaging in the AIM programme, which supports pre-schoolers with special needs, varies from county to county.
Co-Author of the report Professor Seamus McGuiness says more research is needed to find out why rates vary from county to county:
"Slightly lower than expected levels given the population levels in Clare and Leitrim - now we have no real explanation for why that happened, that would be a matter for more research."
