IN IRELAND LAST year, the number of births decreased by more than 1,700 compared to the year before and the number of deaths rose slightly. 

There were 60,173 births registered last year in Ireland, down from 61,901 in 2018. 

There were 32,084 deaths registered in 2019, a slight rise on the 32,029 deaths registered the year before. 

These figures come from the Annual Report of the Civil Registration Service for 2019 which was published today by the Department of Social Protection. 

This service is tasked with registering all life events of people in Ireland including births, deaths and marriages. 

More than 112,800 life events were registered over the course of last year, a decrease on 2018. 

Last year, there were also 20,335 marriages, 79 adoptions and 197 stillbirths. 

Registrations recorded in the years 2016 to 2019. Source: DEASP

Meanwhile, more than 403,000 certificates of various types were issued to members of the public last year.

These are issued when events like births, deaths or marriages are registered, but also when requested by a member of the public. 

More than 245,000 birth certificates were issued and more than 63,000 marriage certificates in 2019. 

Almost 93,000 death certificates were also issued throughout last year. 

Certificates issued during the period 2016 to 2019. Source: DEASP

The Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said this report “emphasises the importance of civil registration in our society”.

“It is the means by which a person establishes and protects their identity and ensures that their rights and entitlements are secured,” Humphreys said in a statement. 

She added that the certificates are “important to day for day public, financial, legal and social transactions” along with providing “invaluable information” to those researching their families.