The key areas highlighted in the latest Census results.
Technology
More than 56 per cent of households owned personal computers, while almost half had access to the internet. Of those, well over one-third of households had a broadband connection. People living in Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown, Fingal and south Dublin were more likely to have computers and internet access, while households in Limerick city, Longford and Cork city reported the lowest rates.
Voluntary work
One in six people said that they were involved in voluntary work. Social and charitable work attracted the most activity, with 193,000 people doing this work. Some 180,000 were involved in sporting activity. Women were more likely to do religious or charitable work, while men were drawn to sporting and political activities.
Disability
Some 9.6 per cent of people said that they had a disability or long-lasting health problem last year, compared with 8.3 per cent in 2002. Almost two-thirds of these were aged over 50. The increase in people reporting disabilities could be explained by the increase in categories of disability compared with previous census reports.
Carers
There were almost 161,000 unpaid carers in the State last year - just under 5 per cent of the population. Women accounted for 62 per cent of carers, with most of them in their 40s or 50s.
Women
Female labour force participation increased sharply from 29.7 per cent in 1981 to 52.8 per cent last year. The percentage of home-makers fell from 54.9 per cent in 1981 to 21.8 per cent last year.
Education
The proportion of females in education was greater than that of males for every year in the 15/23-year-old age group. A higher proportion of non-Irish nationals aged 25-44 had a third-level education than their Irish counterparts
Cars
Four out of five households had at least one car. Dublin city had the lowest car ownership rate, at 59.5 per cent, while Co Meath had the highest, at 89.8 per cent.
Unemployment
Limerick city reported the highest unemployment rate, at 14.6 per cent, compared with an average figure of 8.5 per cent. The lowest rates were found in Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown and Cork county.
Rising time
Almost 285,000 leave home before 7am to get to work, with more than half of those gone from home before 6.30am.
Immigrants
Non-Irish nationals accounted for one in eight workers in the State and one in three workers in the hotel and restaurant sector last year.
Farming
Agriculture accounted for less than 5 per cent of total employment last year, compared with over 50 per cent in 1926.
Work
There has been a 17 per cent increase in the numbers of people in the labour force in the past four years.