Marital breakdown is highest amongst those with lower levels of education, according to a new report by the CSO.  

The report, entitled, What Do We Know, was based on figures from the 2011 Census and focused on rates of educational attainment.

It found that the rate of marital breakdown was highest among those who had no formal education or those whose education had only reached primary level.

Just under 18 pc of all 45-54 year olds living in urban areas and who have no formal or only a primary school education are divorced or separated.

Expressed as a percentage of married people, 27 percent of this group are divorced or separated.

By comparison, only 8pc of the same age cohort from an urban background but with a third level education have experienced marital breakdown. This rise to 14 pc when expressed as a percentage of all married people in this bracket.

The report also showed that those with higher levels of education are more likely to be married in the first place.

It showed that, in the 35 to 44 age cohort in particular, the marriage gap based on levels of educational attainment was marked.

According to the report, just 58 per cent of those in this age with lower secondary education were married compared with 65.3 per cent for those with an upper secondary level qualification and 69.3 per cent for those with a third level qualification.

However, the difference was less pronounced among older age groups. Among persons aged between 55 and 64, those with either lower secondary or third level qualifications had an equal likelihood of being married.

There was a clear urban-rural divide in separation rates, particularly among persons educated no higher than primary level.

Among those aged 45-54 in urban areas 18 per cent were separated or divorced compared with 10 per cent of those similarly educated in rural areas.