Vital Statistics, Fourth Quarter And Yearly Summary 2005

Births, Deaths and Marriages in 2004

Over twice as many births as deaths in 2004

The number of births registered in 2004 (61,684) was over twice the number of deaths registered (28,151). This is the 3rd year in a row in which this has been the case. The resultant natural increase in population (difference between births and deaths) was 33,533, which is almost double the natural increase of 17,036 in 1995, when there were only 48,530 births and 31,494 deaths.

These figures are contained in the Central Statistics Office's Vital Statistics, Fourth Quarter and Yearly Summary report 2004.

The number of births was 167 more than the 2003 figure. However, while birth rates for mothers over 35 increased, birth rates for mothers under 35 decreased. There were 12,544 babies born to mothers aged 35 to 39 in 2004, 566 more than in 2003. By contrast, there were 2,560 babies born to teenage mothers in 2004, 243 less than in 2003. The average age of mothers having their first baby was 28.5 years, 0.3 years older than in 2003. The average age of all mothers was 30.8 years, 0.2 years older than in 2003.

Almost two in five (39.8%) births in 2004 were to first time mothers. Over 32% of births in 2004 were outside marriage.

The number of deaths registered was 672 less than the 2003 figure. This works out as an annual rate of 7 deaths per 1,000 population, 0.2 less than in 2003 and 1.7 less than in 1995. For those aged 65 and over, the rate was 49 deaths per 1,000 population, meaning that less than 1 in 20 people aged 65 and over died in 2004. This compares with 51 deaths per 1,000 population for those aged 65 and over in 2003, and 61 deaths per 1,000 population for those aged 65 and over in 1995.

Almost 4 in every 5 deaths were from either diseases of the circulatory system (38%), cancer (27%), or diseases of the respiratory system (14%). The number of deaths due to circulatory diseases (which include heart disease and stroke) fell by 376 to 10,608. The number of deaths due to respiratory diseases also fell to 4,060, 368 less than in 2003. But the number of deaths due to cancer rose by 149 to 7,717.

There were 457 suicides registered or 11.3 per 100,000 population. There were 189 suicides of people under 35, 24 less than in 2003, but there were 268 suicides for those aged 35 and over, 37 more than in 2003. Males represented 78% of suicides, while females represented 22%.

There were 20,619 marriages registered in 2004, 317 more than in 2003. The number of divorces granted by the Circuit Court and the High Court was 3,347.

Vital Statistics Fourth Quarter and Yearly Summary 2004 is priced at €10.00 and is available from the:
Central Statistics Office, Information Section, Skehard Road, Cork,
Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2,
or through any bookseller.

For more information contact Joseph Keating (LoCall 1890 313 414 ext 5121).
Internet address: www.cso.ie 

13 July 2005

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