NI births at lowest level

Birth rates in Northern Ireland are dropping, figures show

The Northern Ireland birth rate has fallen to its lowest ever level, according to new figures.

There were 21,385 babies born in the province in 2002, a drop of 577 on the previous year.

More than a third of all births occurred outside marriage, a large increase on the figure 10 years ago when just over one in five babies were born to unmarried mothers.

The infant death rate also fell to its lowest ever figure, with 122 stillbirths and 100 infant deaths recorded in 2002,.

Figures were revealed by the Statistics and Research Agency on Wednesday.

Dr Dermot O'Reilly, a senior lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health at Queen's University in Belfast, said the trends mirrored those in other western European countries.

"Our population continues to increase but we're becoming older overall," he said.

What is happening throughout the world is that we have fewer young people to support an older population and this will eventually force social change Dr Dermot O'Reilly Queen's University in Belfast

"We are getting healthier and living longer so the mortality rate is falling, while the birth rate also continues to fall at a slower level."

Dr O'Reilly said that although the number of babies born outside marriage had increased dramatically over the last 20 years, it did not mean they were all being raised in single parent families.

"A higher proportion of couples are now deciding to live together and have kids before getting married, or are not getting married at all," he said.

He said the fact that the population was getting older as a whole could raise serious problems in the future.

"It is the 16 to 64-year-olds who form the economically active population that pay for the care of older people," he said.

"What is happening throughout the world is that we have fewer young people to support an older population and this will eventually force social change."

The total estimated population in Northern Ireland on June 30, 2002 was 1,696,600, an increase of 7,300 on the previous year.

Banbridge in County Down had the greatest increase in population over the last year, while Belfast had the greatest decrease in population.

Londonderry was the area with the highest proportion of children among its population at 26.3%, while North Down had the lowest proportion at 19.4%.

Castlereagh had the highest proportion of pensioners at 19.3% of its population, while Limavady had the lowest at 11.8%.

Of all the parliamentary constituencies, north Belfast had the greatest decrease in population at 1.6% over the last year.