There were 20,313 marriages in Ireland in 2019 including 640 same-sex marriages. This equates to a crude (unadjusted) marriage rate of 4.1 per 1,000 population – statistician Carol Anne Hennessy.

SVP is still receiving an average of 1000 calls for help every day from worried families in the run-up to Christmas and is particularly concerned about some people in private rented accommodation.

Census 2016 Households and Families report shows 9 per cent rise in separated and divorced in Ireland.

Ireland has recently seen increased numbers of its emigrants returning from abroad, with inward migration of Irish citizens in 2016 up by 74 per cent on the previous year (Central Statistics Office Population and Migration Estimates April 2016).

There were 132,200 fewer Catholics in Ireland over the past five years, down to 3,729,100 from 3,861,300 in 2011.

The social aspects of the GAA club are of “particular benefit to recent Irish emigrants, contributing to a sense of belonging and promoting well-being when far away from friends and family”.

Nearly one in seven people are in poverty of whom 211,000 are children.

Fewer couples in Ireland getting married than in Britain and the US.