The profile of the traditional Irish family is changing dramatically, writes Carl O'Brien
THE TRADITIONAL family unit is changing dramatically with divorce rates rising, family sizes shrinking and the number of unmarried cohabiting couples increasing.
Cohabiting couples are now the fastest-growing family unit in the State. Central Statistics Office figures show the numbers have jumped from 77,600 in 2002 to 121,800 in 2006, a rise of more than 60 per cent. They account for 12 per cent of all family units, compared to 8 per cent in 2002.
The number of children living with cohabiting parents also increased from 51,700 in 2002 to 74,500 in 2006.
In general, the number of births outside marriage is on the rise. They accounted for one-third of births, 23,170, in 2007. This compares with 16,790 births in 1999.
However, there are signs that many cohabiting couples are going on to marry later in life after living together.
The average age at which people get married has increased to 31 for women and 33 for men, up from 30 and 28 in 2005.
A decade after divorce was introduced, the number of people availing of it has risen significantly. The number of divorces increased from 35,000 to 59,500 between 2002 and 2006, a rise of 70 per cent. There were just 95 divorces in 1997, the first full year of its introduction.
The number of separated - including divorced - people also increased, from 133,800 in 2002 to 166,800 in 2006.
Limerick city has the highest proportion of separated people (13 per cent), followed by Dublin city (12 per cent). At the other end of the scale, Co Galway had the lowest proportion at 6 per cent.
While the traditional family may be shakier than it has been, marriage as an institution is growing in popularity.
There were 22,544 marriages registered in 2007, compared to 16,783 marriages in 1998. In fact, marriage figures are at their highest since 1974. Civil marriage, too, is increasingly popular: they accounted for just 0.5 per cent of marriages in 1970, while in 2005 they accounted for 22 per cent.
Overall, 43 per cent of the population of marrying age were single and 46 per cent were married (excluding those separated) in 2006. The remaining 11 per cent were either widowed or separated (including divorced).
Population figures also show there are more men than women in the population.
The number of males in the population exceeded the number of females by 13,000 in the early 1970s. During the 1980s, however, there was a small female surplus, which strengthened in the period to 2002. Since 2006, males have outnumbered females once again.