Fewer children born but number of twins soars

Fewer children were born in Ireland in 2011, while the number of first-time mothers in their 30s continues to rise, according to new statistics published yesterday.

Statistics for 2011 released by the Central statistics Office showed that the twin rate — the number of twins being born — has increased “very significantly” in the past two decades, and there was even one set of quadruplets.

The figures also show that one third of all births in Ireland took place outside of marriage and that the fertility rate in 2011 decreased slightly compared to that for the previous year.