Population up 14% in nine years

The population of Ireland increased by almost 14% to more than 4.1 million people between1996 and 2005 according to a major new report from the Central Statistics Office.

It was the second highest rate of increase in the EU behind Cyprus and was significantly higher than the EU 25 growth of just 2.5%.

The fertility rate in Ireland remained the highest in the EU in 2004, at a rate of 1.95 compared to an EU average of 1.50.

Life expectancy at birth was 80.3 years for females and 75.1 years for males in the period 2001-2003.

Life expectancy for males was 0.7 years above the EU average of 75.1 years but that for females was 0.5 years below the corresponding EU figure of 81.2 years, according to the report entitled Measuring Ireland’s Progress, 2005.