Marital breakdown is highest amongst those with lower levels of education, according to a new report by the CSO.
The report, entitled, What Do We Know, was based on figures from the
2011 Census and focused on rates of educational attainment.
It found
that the rate of marital breakdown was highest among those who had no
formal education or those whose education had only reached primary
level.
Just less than 18 per cent of all 45-54 year olds living in urban
areas and who have no formal or only a primary school education are
divorced or separated.
Expressed as a percentage of married people, 27
per cent of this group is divorced or separated.
By comparison, only 8 per cent of the same age cohort from an urban
background but with a third level education has experienced marital
breakdown. This rise to 14 per cent when expressed as a percentage of
all married people in this bracket.
The report also showed that those with higher levels of education are
more likely to be married in the first place. It showed that, in the
35 to 44 age cohort in particular, the marriage gap based on levels of
educational attainment is marked.
According to the report, just 58 per cent of those in this age with
lower secondary education were married compared with 65.3 per cent for
those with an upper secondary level qualification and 69.3 per cent for
those with a third level qualification.
However, the difference was less pronounced among older age groups.
Among persons aged between 55 and 64, those with either lower secondary
or third level qualifications had an equal likelihood of being married.
There was a clear urban-rural divide in separation rates, particularly
among persons educated no higher than primary level.
Among those aged 45-54 in urban areas 18 per cent were separated or
divorced compared with 10 per cent of those similarly educated in rural
areas.