More than half of the country living in Leinster

MORE than half of the population is living in Leinster, new Census figures have revealed.

There are 2.1 million people living in the province, a 9.4% rise on the last Census in 1996.

There was also a growth in the numbers living in Westmeath, Wexford, Laois, Louth and Carlow. The counties closest to Dublin also grew considerably with the number of people in Kildare and Meath rising by 28,952 and 24,273 respectively.