A numbers game: Why are there so few cross-Border romances?
It's becoming harder for official statistics to document people's romantic relationships as informal partnerships are the norm for many young people.
Age at marriage is no longer a good guide to when people move in together, although marriage is not yet completely gone out of fashion: analysis of families for Census 2022 showed 69 per cent consisted of married couples, 19 per cent of single parents and 14 per cent of cohabiting couples.
Finding love overseas has long been a feature of the Irish emigrant experience. Many of those who moved to Irish communities in New York or Liverpool married someone else from home, but most of these couples made their lives in their adopted country.
More recently, a lot of Irish emigrants have been homing pigeons. They have returned to Ireland after a sojourn abroad, bringing with them enhanced skills – an important part of Ireland's productivity story.
READ MORE
If people leave as couples, they are more likely to return. In addition, many of today's returned emigrants have found a partner abroad who is not Irish and have persuaded them to come to live here.
The data on births tell an important part of cross-country love stories. Over the last 20 years, up to 15 per cent of all babies born here have had one Irish parent and one who was not. Over half of these children have had an
EU
or
UK
parent.
Many of us living here have either partners or in-laws who were born elsewhere. This may help explain why anti-immigrant sentiment is relatively low in Ireland. It's harder to see members of your own extended family as somehow alien.
Our economic success has not just lured Irish-born people to settle back home, it has also brought many immigrant workers who staff our hospitals, our high-tech companies and our care sector.
The births data show how they are settling down and establishing families here. Fifteen per cent of births are to families where both parents are from outside Ireland, compared to 70 per cent to two Irish parents and 15 per cent with one Irish parent.
There is much more romance across the Irish Sea than across the Border
As these figures are based on citizenship of parents, it's also possible that some of the births recorded with two Irish parents may include a parent originally from abroad who has since acquired Irish citizenship.
Looking at data on the mother's birthplace, around 3 per cent of births are to mothers from Britain, and just 0.7 per cent to mothers from
Northern Ireland
. The 2022 census showed that 5.7 per cent of the population here had been born in Britain, compared to just 1.2 per cent in Northern Ireland.
The small numbers of northerners living in the South today mirrors the situation in the North, where only 2.4 per cent of the population was born south of the border.
There is much more romance across the Irish Sea than across the Border. This reflects the reality that for more than a century the population in both parts of the island has tended to migrate to Britain rather than across the Border.
Going back a century, emigration rather than internal migration was the norm when people left their home place to find work. While both Dublin and Belfast attracted incomers from their respective rural hinterlands, the scale was dwarfed by the numbers moving to live and work overseas. There were better job opportunities in the
United States
or Britain than on the island of Ireland.
A decade before partition, the 1911 census documented how few marriages took place across what became the Border. Cohabitation was negligible, so marriage data painted the full picture. Only 3 per cent of married men living in the North with northern brides had been born in the South. The figures were higher for men born and living in the North: 4 per cent had southern brides. The figures for cross-border marriages in the South were even lower.
Most of these 'mixed marriages' were in the counties that abut the Republic today. In
Fermanagh
, almost 9 per cent of wives had southern origins, mainly from the neighbouring counties of Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal. Significant female employment in
Derry
drew in women from the surrounding hinterland, especially Donegal, many marrying Derry husbands.
Is the relative absence of North-South romances today a symptom, or a cause, of the separate development of society in the two jurisdictions over the last century?
Whatever the reason for the lack of romance, fewer cross-border family ties have probably contributed to the lack of understanding between the North and the South.
The
Department of the Taoiseach
's Shared Island initiative aims to break down those barriers. However, I don't envisage a north-south dating app being included on its agenda.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
How to buy a home by yourself
'How in the name of GOD are single people meant to buy their own home?' That's the title of a Reddit thread where solo first-time buyers in Ireland trade war stories and seek advice. Having house-shared for 13 years, 'Michael' has worked his way up the ladder at work and lived like a monk for six years to get mortgage approval in principle. Now he finds himself repeatedly outbid by couples. Other solo buyers pile on with similar woes. READ MORE There's the odd apocryphal tale of the tenant whose landlord took pity and sold to them at a discount, or the lowball bid that was miraculously accepted – but solo buyers can't bank on miracles. If you're buying on your own, here's how to give yourself the best chance. Who are the solo buyers? If you're a solo first time buyer, you're not alone. Almost 30 per cent of first-time buyers are buying on their own, according to Central Bank figures for 2023. The average value of a first-time-buyer mortgage approved in April this year hit a record €330,123, up by more than 8 per cent in a year, according to Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) figures. [ Move now or wait: First-time buyer and fixed mortgage rates Opens in new window ] First-time buyer lending limits of four times salary mean a single buyer would need earnings of €82,500, to borrow this amount. You will need a 10 per cent deposit too. That's about €33,000 if you are drawing down the average amount approved for first-time buyers nationally. Buying in Dublin is a different story and is 'extremely challenging' for solo buyers, says Ross Harrison of Dublin city-based mortgage broker Finplan. The median house price there is about €475,000. The majority of solo first-time buyers he sees work in tech or professional services and have higher-than-average salaries of €65,000 to €100,000. 'Those borrowing on a single income of between €60,000 and €80,000 are moving to Kildare,' says Harrison. Out in the commuter belt, Shane Tobin of Portlaoise-based Low Quotes mortgages agrees that it's not easy for solo first timers. 'They are typically borrowing in the region of €260,000 to €320,000, purchasing properties in the mid €300,000s and they are using the Help to Buy scheme. They couldn't buy without the Help to Buy,' says Harrison. The solo buyers he sees succeeding have significant savings, many get family support, and they will have to be open to relocating to more affordable regions, says Tobin. Ramp up If you're thinking of buying a first home, prepare for a lengthy on-ramp. Talk to a mortgage adviser at least 12 months out from purchasing and they will set you straight on wooing a lender. Bank statements that show a 'buy now pay later' habit, credit card debt, missed direct debits or someone routinely sliding into pay day on fumes really won't fly. 'We are seeing an awful lot of people using those [Klarna] facilities without realising the knock-on implications,' says Ross Harrison of Finplan. 'A bank will factor in that debt when assessing your ability to repay.' How to manage your pension in these volatile times Listen | 37:00 Use the 12 months before your mortgage application wisely, says Shane Tobin. 'A lender will look back at six to 12 months' bank statements, so you need to behave appropriately to be a serious contender to draw down a loan of €200,000 or €300,000.' Get forensic One of the most disheartening things for a buyer is being outbid. Where couples, who can borrow four times their combined income, or investors are competing for the same property, the solo buyer just doesn't have the same muscle. You can try to short-circuit some of this frustration by getting forensic about the type of first home you can most likely get over the line. If you're thinking of buying a first home, prepare for a lengthy on-ramp. Photograph: iStock With your 'four times income' borrowing number in mind, and your likely savings, use the Central Statistics Office's property prices by eircode app and the residential property price register to guide your search. Properties in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, for example, had the highest median price paid for a dwelling at €665,000, according to the CSO's residential property price index in March. By contrast, median prices in Dublin 10 were €311,000, or €440,000 in Dublin 15. The commuter belt widens options too. Median property prices range from €275,000 in Portlaoise to €280,000 in Arklow. In Drogheda the median price is €360,000, in Enfield it's €385,000, Naas is at €421,000 and Newbridge is €425,000, according to CSO figures. 'For people who are not open-minded about location, it's very difficult,' says Tobin. Solo buyers are opting for one- and two-bed apartments over houses too. 'A three-bed house used to be the first house 10 years ago, but that's an absolute luxury for the first-time buyer now.' [ Typical price paid for home by first-time buyer up €88,000 on five years ago Opens in new window ] Government schemes Many solo first-time buyers are availing of Government schemes to get them over the line. The Help to Buy scheme gives a refund of up to €30,000 of income tax and deposit interest tax you paid in Ireland over the four years before the year you apply. This can be used to bump up your house deposit, but it applies only to new-build homes valued at up to €500,000. Another option for first-time buyers is the shared equity, or First Home Scheme. This can be used in conjunction with the Help to Buy scheme. Under this scheme, the Government and participating banks pay up to 30 per cent of the cost of your new home (or 20 per cent if you're also getting Help to Buy), in return for a stake in the home. If you want, you can buy back the stake at any time, but you don't have to. It is aimed at closing the gap between what you might be able to afford and what you want to buy. 'It's becoming less of an issue for buyers that the Government would own equity in your home,' says Shane Tobin. [ Mortgages: If you're coming off a fixed rate now is the time to consider switching Opens in new window ] In the local authority areas of Dublin city, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, South Dublin and Cork city there is a price limit of €475,000 for buying a new house, and €500,000 for an apartment. In Co Wicklow, the price limit is €475,000 for all properties. In Co Kildare and Galway City, it's €450,000 for all properties. In Co Meath and Co Cork it's €425,000. In Limerick city and county the price limit is €425,000 for houses and €450,000 for apartments. You must borrow the maximum available to you, so four times your income, and you must have a 10 per cent deposit of the value of the home, though this can come from the Help to Buy scheme. A teacher after 10 years' service, for example, will be able to borrow a maximum of about €261,000. By using Government schemes, they could potentially purchase a home for about €375,000. This is through a combination of €10,000 of their own savings and €30,000 from Help to Buy making up the deposit; personal borrowings of €261,000, with €74,000, that's 20 per cent of the purchase price of the home, coming from the First Home Scheme. Shop lenders Different lenders will suit different buyers. A broker can help you find the one most likely to get you over the line. Bank of Ireland tends to be more favourable than other banks towards first-time buyers purchasing one-bed apartments, says Ross Harrison. 'Some other banks want a deposit of 20 per cent for one-beds,' he says. In general, the lower your interest rate and the shorter the term, the less you will pay over the lifetime of the mortgage. First-time buyers will have competing priorities, however. If you don't have six months of pristine bank statements, or you are living with parents and can't show a track record of rental payments, new entrant Núa Money might suit you. They look at your net disposable income, not your banking history, to assess eligibility. They look at bonus income more favourably too. They also offer loans to immigrant visa holders who have been here for six months and have passed work probation. Tobin recently worked with a solo buyer with one dependant earning €37,500 who got mortgage approval for €130,000 with Núa Money. Not having to show proven repayment ability worked in their favour. 'They went sale agreed on a doer-upper in Tipperary costing €155,000,' says Tobin. First-time buyer rates for an 80 to 90 per cent loan at 4.85 per cent are higher than other banks and you must fix for three years. If you're a public-sector worker, the Flexi product from ICS enables you to borrow several points further up the salary scale than some other banks. The Flexi is not the most competitive interest rate, but for customers looking for maximum borrowings to get on the ladder, the initial interest rate may not be the biggest factor. For 90 per cent loan to value, rates are 4.4 per cent, fixed for five years. You'll pay interest only for the first two years, then your repayments will jump for the remainder for the fix. Borrowers should note their mortgage will be more expensive in the longer run due to the Flexi product's interest-only start. MoCo and Núa Money will lend two points up the salary scale to public-sector workers while Avant will lend one point higher. PTSB and Bank of Ireland don't offer the feature. AIB will also go three points higher. Timing Government grants are driving solo buyers to new builds, but with that can come some timing issues. If you reserve a new home, go sale agreed and request your loan offer, the offer is valid with most banks for between four and six months. If the build is delayed, the loan offer may expire, meaning you have to reapply with updated salary certs, bank statements and a full assessment of affordability 'We see this with many buying new builds where there is a delay on completion and buyers have to update their mortgage application and reapply,' says Harrison. Keep your bank statements clean until you get the keys. Extra costs Solo buyers must budget for extra costs by themselves too. Stamp duty is 1 per cent of the purchase price, slightly less for a new build. Budget about €3,000 for a €300,000 home. You should be budgeting €3,000 to €3,500 to cover legal fees and outlays, says Harrison. A property survey which the bank will require will cost between €300 and €600 plus VAT, again shop around. Most lenders require you to take out mortgage protection insurance. Budget €20 to €30 a month, depending on your age and health. If you're buying a property in a managed development, you'll have to budget for an annual property management fee.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Child-related benefits lift 150,000 children out of poverty, ESRI finds
Child-related social benefits have lifted more than 150,000 children out of poverty in Ireland , according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) . It found Ireland's current system of offering child-related cash and in-kind benefits had reduced child poverty and deprivation, bringing an estimated 157,000 children out of income poverty and 94,000 out of consistent poverty. The study, published on Wednesday, is part of the ESRI's Budget Perspectives 2026 series. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), consistent poverty is defined as that applying to individuals who are at risk of poverty – meaning they have a low household income – and experience enforced deprivation. READ MORE The figures come shortly after the Children's Rights Alliance revealed the number of children in consistent poverty rose by 45,000 to more than 103,000 in 2024. Last week, a separate longitudinal survey of children in Ireland aged between 10 and 17 found 18.3 per cent were going to school or bed hungry because there was not enough food at home. Cash benefits such as Child Benefit and Working Families Payment are considered by the study, as well as in-kind benefits such as National Childcare Scheme subsidies and free schoolbooks and meals. Taking all of these into account, the simulated child consistent poverty rate was found to be 5.6 per cent. In the absence of such supports, however, the child consistent poverty rate would be 8 per cent higher, at 13.6 per cent. The predicted child At Risk of Poverty (AROP) rate for 2025 is 13.9 per cent, or about 165,000 children. In the absence of cash benefits, that would be 10 per cent higher, while an absence of in-kind benefits – such as free preschool and school meals – would increase the AROP rate by 1.5 per cent. ESRI associate research professor Karina Doorley, one of the report's authors, said child-related benefits were 'a powerful tool' in reducing poverty. 'Well-targeted reforms to the system of child-related benefits could further improve outcomes for children and families currently experiencing poverty. A second tier of child benefit could be a key part of that solution,' she said. The ESRI's proposed second tier of means-tested child benefit would reduce the child AROP rate by 4.6 percentage points (lifting 55,000 children out of income poverty) and consistent poverty by 2.1 percentage points (lifting 25,000 children out of consistent poverty), it said. It suggested this as the 'most cost-effective option' for targeting child poverty rates, at an annual cost of approximately €772 million.
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Ireland to back proposal to extend EU protection for Ukrainian refugees into 2027
Ireland will support a proposal to extend European Union protection for people fleeing the war in Ukraine for another year into 2027 when EU justice and home affairs ministers meet later this week. Ukrainians arriving in EU countries since the Russian invasion in 2022 have benefited from temporary protection. More than 112,000 people from Ukraine have arrived in Ireland over those three years, though almost a third of these are believed to have since left the State. There are almost 33,000 people from Ukraine in State-supported accommodation at 320 locations around the country. READ MORE Temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU is due to expire in March 2026. However, with no end in sight to the war, the EU's Justice and Home Affairs Council is expected to reach a political agreement on extending temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine until March 2027. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan , who is due to attend the meeting in Luxembourg later this week, briefed Cabinet on how Ireland will support the proposal to extend the protection into 2027 in principle. At the beginning of February, there were 112,189 beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine, an increase of 8,833 or 8.5 per cent on the same time in 2024, according to annual figures produced by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). However, the number of active PPSNs in November belonging to Ukrainian people was just 71 per cent of the total, suggesting 29 per cent have most likely left the State and are living elsewhere. [ Ukrainians in Ireland succeeding in asylum applications at twice rate of other nationalities Opens in new window ] In January last year, the Government reduced payments to new arrivals from €232 a week to €38.80. Since that move there has been no month where the number of newly arrived Ukrainian refugees has surpassed 700. As of the February statistics, women and children make up three-quarters of all Ukrainian refugees, and 23,803 were working. Counterterrorism Separately, Mr O'Callaghan received Cabinet approval to publish a law aimed at strengthening Ireland's counterterrorism laws. A Department of Justice statement said the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025 will 'allow for the prosecution of a broader range of terrorist activities in light of the evolving nature of terrorism'. These include terrorist acts with a cross-Border element, and cyberattacks where the aim is to cause widespread harm. This bill – which includes three new offences: receiving training for terrorism; travelling for the purposes of terrorism; and organising or facilitating travelling for the purposes of terrorism – will bring Ireland's counterterrorism laws into line with those of other EU member states. [ Crimea was once a crossroads of civilisations, now it's stuck in a wartime cul-de-sac Opens in new window ] Mr O'Callaghan said the proposed Bill will 'strengthen Ireland's laws by broadening the scope of prosecutable offences in respect of terrorist activity and marks a significant step forward in ensuring that Ireland's counterterrorism framework is robust and fit for purpose in the face of modern terrorist threats'. Along with the new offences, Mr O'Callaghan said the Bill 'also permits courts, when sentencing a person convicted of recruiting or providing training for terrorism, to treat as an aggravating factor that the offence was committed against a child'.
