2010 began with steady slowdown in birth rate

IRELAND’S birth rate — the highest in the EU — is continuing to slow down, while there was also a dramatic reduction in the death rate during the first three months of 2010.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office showed the number of births in the first quarter of this year fell by 1.3% compared with the corresponding period in 2009.

A total of 18,535 births were registered between January and March which is a reduction of 252 on the same period last year.