Sara Burke reports POPULATION Census 2006: 4,234,925 World: 6,250,000,000 (Ireland 0.067%) The 8.1% increase in the population between 2002 and 2006 represents the highest increase on record, with an annual average increase of 2%. The previous highest increase on record was between 1971 and 1979 at 1.5%.

The 1976 census was cancelled due to lack of resources but then carried out in 1979. The 2001 census was postponed a year due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

BIRTHS, DEATHS, MIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION There were 245,000 births and 114,000 deaths recorded in the 2002 to 2006 period . . . a natural population increase of 131,000.

In 2005, there were 61,042 births and almost one third of these births (19,528) were outside marriage. In 1998, just over a quarter of births were outside marriage.

In 2005, there were 27,441 deaths. 2005 was the first year ever recorded that the death rate fell below 28,000. This is due to the better health and longer life experienced by many older people.

The rest of the increase in population comes from migration . . .people who came to live in Ireland . . . a figure of 186,000 for the period 2002 to 2006.

In the 1950s, immigration . . . population leaving Ireland . . . was at its highest, with a 12% decline in the population between 1951 and 1956 and a 16% decline between 1956 and 1961. The 1961 census recorded the lowest ever population at 2.8 million.

GEOGRAPHICAL INCREASES IN POPULATION All provinces in Ireland increased their population between 2002 and 2006.

2002 2006 increase Leinster 2,105,579 2,292,939 8.9% Munster 1,100,614 1,172,170 6.5% Ulster (Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan) 246,714 266,733 8.1% Connacht 464,296 503,083 8.4% LEINSTER: Leinster had the highest rate of growth at 8.9% and all counties in Leinster increased their populations. Fingal, Meath and Kildare were the fastest growing counties in Leinster with their populations increasing by 22%, 21% and 13% respectively. These three counties account for 29% of the entire population growth in Ireland between 1996 and 2006.

MUNSTER: Cork and Limerick city were the only two of 34 administrative counties to show a population decline, while Cork county was the fastest growing county in Munster, followed by Waterford county and Limerick county. The growth in suburban areas from the city areas into county areas of Cork and Limerick cities contributed significantly to this growth.

CONNACHT: County Leitrim experienced the highest population growth in the state, with an increase of 22.8%.

Leitrim's population increased 3% in the 1996 to 2002 period, which was the first time in 150 years. Galway city grew by 9.3% while Galway county increased its population by 11%.

ULSTER: Cavan had the highest growth rate outside of Leinster, experiencing a population increase of 13.1%. The main growth occurred in the south of the county which is within commuting distance from Dublin. Donegal and Monaghan grew by less than the national average, both experiencing increases just above 6%.

All counties had increased births in the 2002 to 2006 period compared to the 1996 to 2002 period. The highest rates of growth also reflected the counties with the youngest age profile . . .

Fingal, Dublin South, Kildare and Meath. The lowest birth rates were in counties with the oldest age profile . . . Leitrim, Roscommon and Mayo.

GENDER BREAKDOWN In 2005, 49.85% of the population was male with the remaining 50.15% female. Between 1971 and 1986, there were slightly more males than females in the population. Between 1986 and 2002, there was a small female surplus. Although the specific figures are not yet released, it is thought that males will outnumber females once again in the 2006 census. There are more females in Irish cities and urban areas and more males in rural areas.

LIFE EXPECTANCY Any girl born in Ireland in 2002 can expect to live to 80 years, any boy can expect to live to 75 years. In 1926, life expectancy for girls and boys was 57 years old. Given current trends, it is predicted that by 2037, life expectancy for males will be 83, while life expectancy for girls will be 87 years. It is not known exactly why men live shorter lives than women, although it is thought to be a combination of hereditary, lifestyles and environmental factors. Men and women in lowest socio-economic classes live shorter lives than people in the highest socio-economic group.

Traveller men live 9.9 years less than settled men, while Traveller women live 11.9 years less than settled women.

MARITAL STATUS In 2005, there were 20,723marriages. In 1997, there were 15,631marriages, showing an increasing number of marriages in recent years. This figure is still below the marriage rate of the 1970s. In 2002, 42.5% of the population over 15 were single, while 47.1% were married. 10.4% were divorced, separated or widowed.

The average age of marriage increased by two years between 1996 and 2002 for both brides and grooms.

Percentage of marriages that are civil marriages (since 1970) While the majority of marriages are still carried out in Catholic churches, there is an increasing use of civil marriages. In 1970, a 0.5% of marriages were civil marriages, while in 2002, the latest year for which figures are available 17.9% of marriages were carried out in civil ceremonies.

In 1997, the first year divorce was allowed, 95 divorces were granted, in 1998 there were 1,421. In 2002, there were 2,300 divorces, 3,347 in 2004 and 3,411 in 2005.

The numbers of divorced people rose three fold between 1996 and 2002, from 9,800 to 35,100 reflecting the legalisation of divorce in Ireland in 1997.

It is expected that the 2006 census figures will show a further increase in these figures. The numbers of people separated including divorced rose from 87,800 to 133,800 between 1998 and 2002.

Cohabiting couples also increased significantly between 1996 and 2002, rising from 3.9% of family units to 8.4%. The number of children living with cohabiting couples increased from 23,000 in 1996 to 51,700 in 2002.

MOTHERHOOD In 2005, the average age of women giving birth for the first time was 31 years of age. The average age of women giving birth for the first time within marriage was 32 years and 9 months while the average age of motherhood for the first time outside of marriage was 26 years and 9 months.

MOST POPULAR CHILDREN'S NAMES 1Jack Emma 2Sean Sarah 3Adam Katie 4Conor Amy 5James Aoife EMPLOYMENT The number of Irish people in employment increased from 1.1million to 1.9million between 1985 and 2005.

The numbers of unemployed decreased by 134,000 from 219,600 in 1985 to 85,600 in 2005.

EARNINGS /609.91 average wage for man /430.23 average wage for woman In 2005, the average industrial wage for men was /31,715 per annum. For females it was /22,372.

POVERTY One in five Irish people lived on less than 185 (/185 is 60% the average industrial wage in 2004 and is referred to as income poverty or 'at risk of poverty').

Ireland (at 19%) has one of the highest rates of people at risk of poverty in the EU. The EU average is 16%.

In 2004, 7% of the population (283,000 people) lived in 'consistent poverty'. Consistent poverty is a measure which combines income poverty (as above) with deprivation. Deprivation measures the extent to which people cannot afford certain items that the rest of society deems as basic necessities, including a substantial meal one day a week, and adequate heating.

EDUCATION In 2004/05, 455,782 children were in primary education, while 335,162 were in secondary level.

In 2005, just over 28% of the 25-64 year olds had a third-level qualification. Almost one quarter of 15-64 year olds had a third-level qualification. The numbers of third-level students increased by 105% between 1991 and 2005, from 69,988 to 143,546. 61% of the 15-64 year olds had a second-level qualification or above, while 16% of 15-64 year olds had not progressed beyond primary education.

Female students make up 60% of new entrants to universities in 2004/05, while only 46% of new entrants to institutes and colleges of technologies are female.

In 2005, 83% of primary school teachers were female, an increase in 5% since 1997.

PHONE USE 87% of 15-74 year olds had a mobile phone in September 2006. The percentage of people with access to mobiles phone superseded those with access to fixed land lines in the last quarter of 2004.

(COMREG) INTERNET ACCESS In 1998, 61,200 households had internet access representing 5% of all households. In 2000, 266,000 households (20.5%) had internet access. By 2005, 655,000 (45.1%) households have internet access.

Research carried out in September 2006, shows 50% of respondents accessing the internet from any location. Usage was highest in the 15-24 year old age group and among single people. People in the highest socio-economic group were twice as likely to use the internet as people in the lowest socio-economic group.

72% of those with access used it from work, and 34% from home. 40% had access to the internet at home with the 65-74 age group least likely to have it. 26% of those without the internet at home use it from another site.

RELIGION The number of people who ticked the Roman Catholic box in the 2002 census (2006 figures not yet available) was 3,462,600 up 234,300 from 3,228,300 in 1996.

While the actual numbers of Catholics increased during this period, the percentage of Catholics was down due to overall population increase, Catholics fell from 91.6% of the population in 1996 to 88.4% in 2002. Buncrana, Ballina and Carrick-on-Suir were the places in Ireland with the highest proportion of Catholics.

The numbers of people who were Church of Ireland, Presbyterians and Methodists increased during the period 1991 to 2002, reversing long-term tends of decline in these groups. The increase percentage in numbers of Church of Ireland was 2.4%, the increase for Methodists was 6.5% and for Presbyterians was 4.1%. This increase in these groups is attributed to a growth in migrants between 1991 and 2002.

There were also significant increases in Muslims and those of the Orthodox faith in 1991 to 2002 period.

Muslims increased four fold to a population of 19,000 in 2002 while people adhering to Orthodox religion increased from 400 in 1991 to 10,000 in 2001. NonIrish nationals make up 70% of this increase. It is very likely that these figures will be up significantly in the 2006 census figures.

The number of people with no religion doubled between 1991 and 2002 to 138,000. Almost half of those without religion were aged between 20 and 39.

VOTER TURNOUT Percentage of registered voters who voted in general elections