Births, Deaths and Marriages in Quarter 2 2006

99 more births than deaths per day

The natural increase (births minus deaths) in population in Quarter 2 2006 was 9,012, or 99 more births than deaths each day.

In the corresponding quarter last year the natural increase was 7,957, or 87 more births than deaths each day. In Quarter 2 1997 the natural increase was 5,575, or 61 more births than deaths each day.

These figures are contained in the Central Statistics Office's Vital Statistics Second Quarter 2006 report.

There were 15,979 births registered in Quarter 2 2006, an increase of 673 on the Quarter 2 2005 figure. This works out as an average of 176 births per day and a birth rate of 15.1 per 1,000 population.

The report also shows that 6,967 deaths were registered in quarter 2 2006, 382 less than quarter 2 2005. This corresponds to 77 deaths per day and to a death rate of 6.6 per 1,000 population. See Tables 1&2 of report.

The average age of mothers for births registered in Quarter 2 2006 was 31.1 years, the same as in Quarter 2 2005. For mothers having their first child, the average age was 28.8 years, 0.1 years higher than the Quarter 2 2005 figure.

The average age of mothers has risen by almost a year in the last decade. In Quarter 2 1997 the average age of mothers was 30.2 years, 0.9 years less than the most recent figure. See Table 1 of report.

The oldest mothers were in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, with an average age of 33.1 years. The youngest mothers were in Limerick City, with an average age of 28.6 years. See Table 4 of report.

There were 5,056 births registered outside marriage in Quarter 2 2006, 47% more than in Quarter 2 1997 when 3,445 births outside marriage were registered. Nearly one-third of births (31.6%) in Quarter 2 2006 were outside marriage.

Almost 4 in every 5 deaths were from either diseases of the circulatory system (35%), cancer (28%), or diseases of the respiratory system (15%). There were 2,452 deaths due to circulatory diseases (which include heart disease and stroke), 1,961 deaths due to cancer, and 1,053 deaths due to respiratory diseases. See Table 8 of report.

There were 5,094 marriages registered in Quarter 2 2006, 36 less than in the corresponding quarter last year. See Table 1 of report.

Vital Statistics Second Quarter 2006 is priced at €6.00 and is available on our website www.cso.ie (PDF 134KB).

Hard copies 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: http://www.cso.ie

21 December 2006

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