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Q 1 The majority of households include both a mother (98%) and a father (94%). Sixty four percent of people have four or more children in their families. This was surprising as we expected that the majority of families would be smaller due to the increased availability and awareness of family planning and to an increase in the numbers of married career women. The average family size nationally is less than 3 children.
Q 2 Eighty-six percent of parents are married, 4% divorced and 6% separated. Although divorce has been available in Ireland for a number of years the divorce rate continues to be very low particularly so in rural Ireland.
Q 3 Seventy percent of mothers are employed outside the home, whereas 84% of fathers are employed outside the home. These totals are disappointing as nowadays we would expect more equality between men and women.
Q 4 Twenty-five percent of mother's are aged 30-39 and 2% of father's are 30-39. This shows that the majority of mothers are younger than fathers. More fathers (38%) fall into the 50+ age bracket than mothers (25%).
