Baby boom: Rate at highest level since records began

IRELAND’S birth rate is at its highest level since records began more than half a century ago.

Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show there were 19,950 births registered in the first three months of this year — a 7.6% increase on the same period last year.

“This is the highest number of births registered in a quarter since the series began in 1960,” the CSO said.