There were just 72 domestic adoptions recorded by the Adoption Authority of Ireland last year, according to the Irish Daily Mail. By contrast, there were 190 such adoptions in 2009 which represents a drop of 60% in just nine years. The decline in adoption across the West has coincided with an increase in the number of abortions.

The Domestic Adoption Unit said the number of infants placed for adoption is now in the minority.

A frequent route to adoption these days is for children to spend time in foster care and then, after two years, to be adopted by their foster parents.

Mark Kirwan of AAI said that a ‘cultural shift’ has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of infants placed for adoption in Ireland. In 2009, there were 74,728 births, with 33% of those registered to unmarried couples. Previously, in 1980, only 5% of the 74,064 babies were born to unmarried couples while 1115 babies were adopted.