In terms of natural birth rate the population of the Republic of Ireland continues to grow faster than any other European Union nation, this according to figures from Eurostat, the EU's official statistics office.
The difference between live births and deaths in Ireland last year was 46,000. This is 10.3 per 1,000 and is well ahead of any other member state.
But while the natural increase in Ireland's population is high, the republic is also facing a situation in which it has the second highest outflow level in the EU. 33,700 more people left Ireland than arrived last year, according to Eurostat.
