Ireland's wealth, health, divorce rate at all-time highs

DUBLIN - The people of Ireland have never been healthier, wealthier, or better educated - but their families are breaking down as never before, according to a survey of statistical trends published yesterday.

Much of the information was newly published material from an April 2006 census. It found that Ireland's population has grown to more than 4.2 million, a 50 percent increase since the early 1960s, but still far below the 6.5 million estimated to have been resident before Ireland's devastating famine of 1845-52.

Average life expectancy has grown to 81 for women and 76 for men; both are national records. The average wage has reached a new high of $44,580 and about 58 percent of households have at least one computer - still low, given that Ireland is the number one manufacturer of computers and software in Europe.

The number of jobs in Ireland has grown from 1.1 million in 1985, when the country suffered from 17 percent unemployment and massive emigration, to more than 2 million today, with 4.7 percent unemployment.

More than a quarter of adults had attained a university-level degree by 2006, double the percentage from the 1980s. The number of young adults in full-time education exceeded 145,000 for the first time in 2006, more than doubling the figure for 1991.

The legalization of divorce in this predominantly Roman Catholic country in 1997 has produced 59,500 divorced people, 70 percent more than recorded in the last census in 2002.

Living out of wedlock also is increasing. Unmarried couples headed 11.6 percent of all families in 2006, up from 8.4 percent in 2002. The number of children of unwed parents rose 44 percent to 74,500.