A third of Westmeath births now outside marriage

Thirty-three per cent of all babies born to mothers living in Westmeath last year were born outside marriage, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.The rate is higher than the average for Leinster, which is 31 per cent, although it is a long way behind the Dublin figures, and those of counties Wicklow, Carlow and Laois.The figures show that in neighbouring Longford and Offaly, the rate last year was also 33 per cent, while in Meath, surprisingly, the rate was just 27 per cent.In total, some 1,390 births were registered to Westmeath mothers during 2009. Of those, 712 were boys, and 678 were girls, and of the total number, 933 were born to married parents, and 457 to unmarried parents.A fifth of the babies born to Westmeath mothers were born into situations where the mothers and fathers share the same address. Forty-five out of all births registered to Westmeath mothers last year were to women aged under 20; 189 were to mothers aged between 20 and 24; 361 to mothers aged 25-29; 434 to mothers aged 30-34; 299 to mothers aged 35-39; and 61 to mothers aged over forty.Of the 457 births recorded outside marriage, the greatest number - 173 - were to women aged under 25, with a further 150 to women aged 25-29. Juset fifteen births were to women aged over 40.The figures released this week also show that over that same 12 month period, the deaths occurred of 505 residents of the Lake County - 253 male, and 252 female.Also released were figures showing the number of divorce, judicial separation and nullity applications received and granted by the courts in the year ending December 2009.Mullingar Circuit Court received some 86 divorce applications, of which 66 were granted; 17 judicial separation applications, of which 9 were granted, and one nullity application, which was granted.