Births outside marriage continue to increase

The popularity of marriage increases apace, but so too does birth outside marriage, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office. Almost one-third (31.7 per cent) of all births are now to unmarried parents; 17,200 were registered last year.

The proportion of births outside marriage has risen from 26.8 per cent in 1997 to 28 per cent in 1998 and 30.8 per cent in 1999. A total of 54,200 new babies were registered in 2000 and 22,000, or 41 per cent, were to first-time mothers.

A total of 19,168 couples were married last year, continuing the increase since 1995, when 15,604 couples tied the knot.

Of the 17,200 babies born outside marriage last year, 20 per cent were to women aged 30 or over, while 17.3 per cent (3,100) were born to teenage mothers. Of these, only 158 (5 per cent) were born within marriage.

The State recorded 31,100 deaths last year. Of this total, 322 people died as a result of road accidents, or 0.1 per 1,000 of population. Road accidents were the second-biggest cause of death among the 15-24 age group at 23 per cent; 75 per cent of those killed on the roads were male, 25 per cent female.

Males dominated in categories where the cause of death was violent or accidental.

The number of suicides has fallen for the second year - the first time in 20 years that the figure has decreased in two consecutive years. Last year, 413 people took their lives, compared to 439 in 1999. Males also dominated here, representing 83 per cent of the total. Suicide was the biggest cause of death in the 15-24 age group. Male suicides fell from 349 in 1999 to 341 last year, while female suicides decreased from 90 to 72.