2002 showed highest number of births in 16 years
31/01/2005 - 12:32:41The number of people born in Ireland in 2002 was at its highest level for 16 years, according to figures published today by the Central Statistics Office.
The CSO said 60,500 births were recorded in 2002, an increase of 2,600 on the figure for 2001 and the highest annual number of births since 1986.
Almost 19,000 of babies born in 2002 were born outside marriage and 2,700 were born to teenage mothers.
The CSO also said today that the official number of deaths in 2002 was 29,700, a decrease on the figure of 30,200 recorded in 2001.
