New CSO data shows the areas with the highest and lowest birth rates in Ireland
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) released Births and Deaths at Local Electoral Areas (LEA) 2022, which shows that nationally, the birth rate stood at 10.2 per 1,000 of population in 2022.
Tallaght in south Dublin, which saw a rate of 13.7 per 1,000 people, Enniscorthy in Co Wexford at a rate of 13.3 and Fingal at a rate of 13.2 were the LEAs with the highest birth rates.
Glenties at a rate of 7.4, Killiney-Shankill in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown at 7.6 and Galway city at 7.6 were the LEAs with the lowest birth rates in 2022.
Of the 54,483 births which occurred in 2022, north inner city in Dublin was the LEA with the highest number of births at 701.
The CSO has been collating and analysing significant life events for decades. The CSO said that it observed for the first time an increase in the number of LEAs which are recording a greater number of deaths than births.
Looking at the 166 LEAs during the period from 2019 to 2021, three LEAs on average witnessed more deaths than births.
However, in 2022, the number of LEAs which recorded more deaths than births had risen to 15.
Taking the LEA of Belmullet, Co Mayo, as an example, it was one of the LEAs which recorded the lowest number of births in 2022 and had the highest crude death rate of 11.5 per 1,000 people.
As a result of recording some of the lowest birth rates in the country and the highest crude death rate in 2022, it topped the list of the 15 LEAs which had the highest negative natural increase rate in 2022, at -2.9.
Negative natural increases indicates that more deaths than births have been recorded.
Looking at the overall figures, there were 35,804 deaths in Ireland in 2022, with the LEAs of Artane-Whitehall, Dublin City (553), Ballymun-Finglas (517) and Clontarf (509) recording the highest number of deaths.
In contrast, Granard, Co Longford (85), Milford, Co Donegal (85) and Leixlip, Co Kildare (86) recorded some of the lowest numbers of deaths.
The general fertility rate is defined as the number of births by women aged 15-49, relative to the population of women aged 15-49. The fertility rate stood at 42.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15-49 in 2022 (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)
This differs from the birth rate, which looks at the entire population in an area, while the fertility rate only focuses on women.
Nationally, the fertility rate stood at 42.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15-49 in 2022.
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford (57.0), Newcastle West, Co Limerick (53.5), Loughrea, Co Galway, Tramore-Waterford City West, Co Waterford and Moate, Co Westmeath (all 52.9) were the LEAs with the highest general fertility rate in 2022. Urban LEAs such as Galway city (27.8), south-east inner city in Dublin (29.7) and north inner city in Dublin (31.6) had the lowest general fertility rate per 1,000 women.
The figures show that there were 35,804 deaths across Ireland in 2022 with Artane-Whitehall, Dublin City, recording the highest proportion of deaths at 1.5 per cent or 553 deaths.
Belmullet, Co Mayo, was the LEA with the highest crude death rate per 1,000 at 11.5 deaths per 1,000 of population, while Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart, Fingal, recorded the lowest at 2.8.
In terms of cause of death, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, had the highest crude death rate due to diseases of the circulatory system, which encompass heart attacks and strokes, at 361.7 per 100,000, while Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart, Fingal, had the lowest at 66.8 per 100,000 for this cause of death.
Looking at births and deaths together allows the calculation of the natural increase, which is the number of births minus the number of deaths.
The natural increase does not take account of inward or outward migration. Nationally, the natural increase for 2022 stood at 18,679 and the rate of natural increase stood at 3.5. However, this varied significantly across LEAs.
The LEAs with the highest natural increase rates in 2022 were Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart, Fingal (9.7), Ongar, Fingal (9.7), and Tallaght South, South Dublin (9.6).
In LEAs such as Ennistimon, Co Clare (0.2), and Lismore, Co Waterford (0.0), the rate of natural increase was close to neutral.
Looking at cause of death across LEAs, the analysis indicates different patterns for the deaths that were recorded.
For instance, while the crude death rate due to neoplasms (tumours and cancer) stood at 194.3 per 100,000 of population nationally in 2022, Tralee, Co Kerry, had the highest death rate for this cause at 334.5 per 100,000.
For external causes of death, which can include deaths due to suicide, accidents and other external factors, nationally this rate stood at 31.3 per 100,000 in 2022.
However, at an LEA level, these crude rates were highest in Castleisland, Co Kerry (70.8), Ballymote-Tobercurry, Co Sligo (69.5), and Skibbereen-West Cork, Cork County (63.0).
Sean O'Connor, statistician in the Life Events and Demography Division, said: 'Today's release, which is part of the CSO Frontier Series provides information and evidence on life events such as births and deaths at Local Electoral Area (LEA).
'The population used to calculate rates and present average age at LEA level for 2022 was taken from the Irish Population Estimates from Administrative Data Sources (IPEADS).'
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rats will flee your garden if you put one kitchen item out that they hate
While you may not always spot rats in your garden, there could be tell-tale signs of their sneaky presence. The good news is that getting rid of these unwelcome guests might be simpler than you think, as a common household item keeps them at bay. There are numerous natural methods to discourage rats from invading your garden without harming other wildlife. Rats and other pests can carry diseases and create a mess by burrowing into parts of your lawn, so it's crucial to deter them safely. There are various ways to start making your garden less appealing to these pests, from citronella oil to onions, but one method stands out for its simplicity, reports The Mirror. Rats tend to avoid strong-smelling foods such as onions, garlic and vinegar. Vinegar, in particular, is an easy and cost-effective solution to the problem. However, there are other strategies too. From a gardening perspective, maintaining short grass can help minimise potential hiding spots for rats. They're also not fans of certain plant scents, like lavender and mint, so planting these around your garden could serve as a natural deterrent. The aroma is believed to be unappealing to them, and you can scatter small amounts of these plants across your garden. Rats are not fond of certain plant scents, like lavender and mint (stock image) (Image: Getty Images) If you're out of vinegar but have onions on hand, they can be a useful alternative. Onions contain sulphur compounds that can irritate rats' eyes and noses. Although it's improbable that a rat would ingest a significant amount, experts warn that large quantities can be toxic if consumed, so it's best to scatter small slices around your garden. Following these straightforward tips will help you effortlessly maintain your garden in top condition without threatening the wildlife inhabiting your outdoor area. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Two people dead after helicopter crashes into barge on Mississippi River
Two people have died after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River. The helicopter crash occurred at the 200-mile marker on the river in St Charles County, Missouri. Emergency crews from Missouri and Illinois responded. Smoke could be seen rising from a ship on the famous river following the crash, which occurred around 25 miles north of St Louis. Initial reporting of the crash indicates the helicopter struck power lines before crashing into a barge close to the Melvin Price Locks and Dam site on the Missouri side of the river. Local media reports say the barges a helicopter crashed into on the Mississippi River were carrying chemicals and flammable items. A helicopter crashed into a barge on Mississippi River (Image: Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images) Two people are confirmed to have died, authorities have said. The Alton Fire Department, which responded from Illinois, confirmed the deaths. Fire and police departments from nearby Alton, East Alton and Wood River all responded. A nearby road, the Lock and Dam Way, was also shut along with the Lewis and Clark Bridge. The Donna H Furlong towboat extinguished the fire with an onboard water cannon. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
‘Natural population' falls in 15 areas, from Belmullet to Dún Laoghaire
There was a fivefold increase in the number of local electoral areas (LEAs) across Ireland in which more deaths than births were recorded in 2022, new figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show. The majority of the 15 areas in question are rural towns in the west and south of the country, although the list also includes parts of Dublin typically seen to be more affluent than average, such as Rathfarnham-Templeogue and Dún Laoghaire in south Dublin. The figures are contained in a new release from the CSO. The data covers the country's 166 LEAs and shows the largest natural population decline, a measure that excludes inward or outward migration, occurred in Belmullet, Co Mayo with a rate of -2.9. READ MORE The figure is calculated by combining an area's death rate per thousand of population with its birth rate. In Belmullet's case, the -2.9 figure was calculated from of a birth rate of 8.6 and a death rate of 11.5. Other towns with a notably high natural decrease rate were Glenties, Co Donegal (-2.3) and Kenmare, Co Kerry (-1.2). In these areas, an ageing population means death rates are consistently higher than birth rates with Belmullet and Glenties experiencing a decrease for two consecutive years, the CSO records show. The other local areas that experienced a natural decrease in population were Swinford, Co Mayo; Kilrush, Co Clare; Ballinamore, Co Leitrim; Rosslare, Co Wexford; Tralee, Co Kerry; Boyle, Co Roscommon; Ballymote-Tobercurry, Co Sligo; Artane-Whitehall, Dublin; Bantry-West, Co Cork; and Castleisland, Co Kerry. The highest rates of natural increase in population were all in Dublin: Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart and Ongar, both in the Fingal constituency of Dublin, and both with a rate of 9.7, as well as Tallaght South, South Dublin where the rate was 9.6. Nationwide, the CSO statistics show the rate of natural increase of population in 2022 stood at 3.5, with 54,483 births recorded and 35,804 deaths in total. The CSO noted this rate 'varied significantly across LEAs', but that particularly high numbers of births and deaths were seen in urban areas in north Dublin. The CSO data also showed the national birth rate stood at 10.2, with Tallaght South boasting the highest birth rate in the country at 13.7 live births per 1,000 people. Enniscorthy, Co Wexford and Ongar, Fingal in Dublin were the other LEAs with the highest birth rates, at 13.3 and 13.2 respectively. Seán O'Connor, a statistician with the CSO, said the newly released data 'includes population statistics that are entirely based on administrative records, and as this release uses experimental methodology, [the] estimates are not official population statistics and are not comparable with Census of Population data'. The census conducted in 2022 showed the population of the Republic of Ireland was 5,149,000, a 31 per cent increase from 2002. In May the CSO released findings on the number of births and deaths recorded in Ireland during 2024 which showed the national fertility rate to be 1.5, a decrease of 0.4 from 2014. 'A value of 2.1 is generally considered to be the level at which the population would replace itself in the long run, ignoring migration,' the CSO said. The CSO findings also showed that the rates of deaths related to tumours and cancers were highest in Tralee, Co Kerry, Swinford, Co Mayo and Roscrea-Templemore, Co Tipperary. Deaths caused by respiratory diseases such as influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis were most common in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, Ballinasloe, Co Galway and Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
