Births drop by 5pc in Westmeath

The number of babies born in Westmeath dropped by 5 per cent last year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

There were 1,089 births recorded in 2023, down from 1,145 the previous year.

Of all babies born, 473 came from outside marriages and 616 from married couples.

The average age of mothers in Westmeath was 32.5 and that dropped to 28.1 for unmarried, first-time mothers.

Meanwhile, there were 679 deaths last year across the county, up 6.75 per cent from the 636 deaths recorded in 2022.

Of all deaths, 350 were male and 329 were female.

The biggest killer in Westmeath is cancer, accounting for 28 per cent, or 190 of all deaths here last year.

This was followed by 177 cardiovascular-related deaths and 90 respiratory system deaths.

Suicides accounted for five deaths in Westmeath in 2023, a five-year low.

There have now been 35 lives lost to suicide here since 2020 and of those, 75 per cent have been male.