The rate of marriage in Ireland has fallen to a new low of 3.6 adults per thousand people marrying annually which is also below the EU average of 3.9. It has fallen from 4.7 in 2015 and over 7 in the 1970s.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office show there were 19,274 opposite-sex marriages registered in Ireland last year, and 624 same-sex marriages.
The total number of marriages represented a decrease of 450 (2.2%) from 2024. This has to be compared against a fast growing population.
The marriage rate was 3.8 in 2024.
The Irish rate first dipped below the EU average in 2020 during the outbreak of the covid pandemic. It has remained there every year since except for 2022.
