POPULATION GROWTH has been highest in commuter belt counties such as Laois, Cavan, north Dublin and Meath over the past five years, census figures show.
Laois had the highest population increase of any county, increasing by 13,399, a rise of some 20 per cent.
There were also significant population increases in Cavan (14 per cent), Fingal (14 per cent), Longford (13 per cent), Meath (13 per cent) and Kildare (13 per cent).
The only two administrative areas to record a fall in population were Limerick city (-5 per cent) and Cork city (-0.4 per cent) during the 2006-2011 period.
However, there was an increase in the population of both Limerick County (8 per cent) and Cork County (10 per cent), which more than offset any drop in the wider population in these areas.
The trend of the population shifting towards suburbs and commuter belts is reinforced by census figures for the regions.
It shows that the midlands recorded the strongest growth (12 per cent), followed by the mideast (11.6 per cent) and Border area (10 per cent). The lowest increase was in the midwest (5 per cent).
The extent to which the population is now focused on the greater Dublin area is evident in maps accompanying the census results. It shows high concentrations of people – 75 or more per square kilometre – radiating out from the capital into surrounding counties and towns.
Within the capital, Dublin City Council’s population increased much more modestly (4 per cent), as did that of South Dublin County Council (7 per cent).
When the city’s figures are broken down to a more detailed level, it shows significant population increases of about 15 per cent in areas near the city centre such as North Wall Quay and Grand Canal Basin. Along the outskirts of the city, the population is up by more than 15 per cent in areas such as Balgriffin and Glencullen, but has fallen in areas such as Ballymun, Tallaght and Portmarnock.
The most detailed results available are for population increases in electoral division areas, which are the boundaries used in local authority elections.
Of the 3,440 electoral divisions, more than 700 recorded population increases in excess of 15 per cent. The fastest growing electoral division was Balbriggan Rural in north Co Dublin, followed by Lucan-Esker in west Dublin.
Ireland’s population increases have been driven mainly by a very high natural increase – the number of births minus the number of deaths – in recent years. Yesterday’s census results show the highest ever natural increase on record with 45,000 people per annum, or 73,000 births and 28,000 deaths.
The previous peak of 40,000 per annum was during the 1979-1981 period which had a similar high number of births, but these were offset by a higher number of deaths (33,000).
The population growth rate recorded in the most recent census amounts to a total natural increase of some 222,800 people between 2006 and 2011, a 5 per cent increase in the overall population. This is extremely strong by international standards, according to CSO officials.
All counties experienced positive natural increase over the past five years.
The strongest natural increases were recorded in counties with the youngest age profiles, including Fingal, followed by South Dublin, Kildare and Meath.
The areas with the lowest rates were Roscommon, Mayo and Cork City.
As well as migration in and out of the country, the census shows figures for net migration in and out of individual counties.
It shows that all counties – apart from the four provincial cities and South Dublin County Council – recorded a net inward migration.
The biggest inflow was into Laois (23 people per thousand population).
At a regional level, the mideast area around Dublin no longer has the highest rate of net inward migration and has fallen behind the midlands and Border area.
This, according to the CSO, represents the expansion of Dublin’s commuter belt into these areas.
