THE STATE saw the highest number of births recorded last year since 1896, despite the clouds of recession.
Some 75,065 births were registered in the 26 counties last year, although many of these babies were conceived in 2007, before the effects of the downturn began to be felt.
This was an increase of 4,445 on the previous year, and an increase of more than 10,000 on 2006 figures.
The figures are contained in the Central Statistics Office’s Vital Statistics, Fourth-Quarter and Yearly Summary report 2008 released yesterday. The rise in births was welcomed by Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin, who said a younger workforce was needed to supplement pension payments.
As with 2007, more than two in five births last year were to first-time mothers. The average age of mothers was 31.1 years, also similar to 2007. Two women aged 45 or more gave birth to their ninth child in 2008, while 13 in the 40-44 category gave birth to their ninth child. In total, 23 women already had 10 or more children when they gave birth last year.
Some 46 mothers giving birth last year were under 15 and two of these had previously given birth. There was a slight decrease in births to teenagers last year. Some 2,426 under- 20-year-olds gave birth in 2008, compared with 2,464 in 2007. Just over one-third of births were outside marriage, slightly up on 2007 figures.
The figures show 28,192 deaths were registered last year, a drop on the previous year. More than three in four deaths were from diseases of the circulatory system (35 per cent), cancer (29 per cent), or diseases of the respiratory system (12 per cent). The number of people dying from cancer increased by 4.6 per cent.
The figures show a drop in suicides. Some 424 were registered in 2008, compared with 460 in 2007. Males represented 78 per cent of suicides.
Meanwhile, 22,243 marriages were registered in 2008, 301 fewer than in 2007. The number of divorces granted by the Circuit Court and the High Court was 3,630, a reduction of 54 on the 2007 figure.
