42 babies born to girls age 15 and under in 2015

There were 42 babies born here to girls aged 15 years or younger in 2015.

The statistics, revealed in the Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2016 released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), do not give details of any of these children’s backgrounds. However, if their babies were conceived in this country, under Irish law, the mothers are victims of rape or statutory rape, as the age of consent here is 17 years.

This was also a significant increase on the 23 babies born to girls aged 15 or younger in 2014 and on the 27 and 28 such births in 2012 and 2013 respectively