New vital statistics figures from the Central Statistics Office show that there was only a small increase in the number of divorces in 2006.New figures show that there were 3,466 divorces granted in 2006, a small increase over the 2005 figure of 3,411.
The number of judicial separations also increased, from 973 in 2005 to 1099 in 2006.
However, there were 4025 divorce applications, and 1,839 applications for judicial separations meaning the number of marriages breaking up is greater than the number of divorces or separations actually granted by court last year.
The number of marriages in 2006 was 21,841, meaning there was one divorce or separation granted for every 4.78 marriages which is equivalent to a marital breakdown rate of 21 per cent.
More worryingly, there was one application for divorce or judicial separation for every 3.7 marriages translating into a breakdown rate of 27 per cent.
The new figures also reveal that 59 per cent of all births to women under 30 are outside marriage. Among women aged 25-29 the figure is 44 per cent. Only women aged over 30 who are having their children within marriage by a big majority.
However, the figures also show that few births outside wedlock are to teenage mothers. Only 10 per cent of births outside marriage are to teenage mothers, and only 3.6 per cent of all births are to teenage mothers.
The figures do not reveal, however, how many births outside marriage are to lone parents as such.
Many children born outside marriage are to cohabiting couples and research from other countries suggests that many of these couples are likely to later marry.
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