Trevor Sargent
Question:1 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recently published CSO report on vital statistics, 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9300/05]
Ceisteanna — Questions.
Central Statistics Office Review.
The Central Statistics Office published the report on vital statistics for 2002 on 31 January this year, when it was also laid before this House. The main statistics contained in the report had already been published, classified by year of registration, in the CSO quarterly vital statistics reports. The annual report gives a further breakdown in respect of births, deaths and stillbirths occurring in 2002. Information on marriages registered in that year was not included but will be published separately later this year. The report on vital statistics contains a wealth of information on chronicling changes in Ireland's social and demographic development.
Some of the main general findings include the following. The number of births in 2002 was 60,503, giving a rate of 15.4 births per 1,000 population, an increase on the 2001 rate of 15 births. The total period fertility rate was 1.98 in 2002, which is somewhat below the replacement level of 2.1 children, generally taken to be the level at which a generation would replace itself in the long run, ignoring migration, but is still the highest rate in the EU 15 region. The number of deaths occurring during 2002 was 29,683, giving a rate of 7.6 deaths per 1,000 population. This was a decrease on the 2001 rate of 7.9 deaths.
For the benefit of Deputies, I am circulating a statement summarising the principal findings of the 2002 report.
The number of suicides for 2002 was listed at 478, suggesting a doubling of the number of suicides over a 20 year period. It is the most common cause of death in the 15-24 age group, particularly among young men. Are the Minister and the Central Statistics Office satisfied that this represents the full picture? A theory exists that a number of fatal car crashes involving single vehicles are disguised suicides. International research suggests that where open verdicts are given in these cases, as many as 6% of single vehicle car crashes could be disguised suicides. Is the Central Statistics Office taking these statistics into account? How are such statistics being gathered?
Following from this issue, do the Minister and the Central Statistics Office accept there is a need to introduce the long-promised coroners Bill to collect information from the nation's coroners so it can be more easily accessed and more readily analysed in regard to this grey area?
The second part of the Deputy's question is a matter directly for the line Minister, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
It relates to the collection of statistics.
Not in regard to the coroners Bill.
The question relates to a grey area in which we cannot get proper analysis and statistics. I put that to the Minister.
While the Chair wants to facilitate Deputies, obviously, on this question, I cannot allow Deputies to examine the area of other Ministers. It is purely a statistical question.
Without referring to the Bill, might I ask about the difficulties coroners have in supplying such information and having it properly analysed?
I share the Deputy's concern about the number of suicides. In 2002 there were 478 deaths due to suicide, 387 male and 91 female. The specific details are available in the Central Statistics Office report. I understand those deaths occurred mainly in the 15-24 and 25-29 age groups. It is an issue that warrants our attention. Deputy Neville has championed this cause in the Chamber and outside it.
Since the publication of the report of the National Task Force on Suicide in 1998, a cumulative total of more €17.5 million has been provided towards suicide prevention programmes and for research. In addition, a new strategic action plan for suicide reduction is being prepared which will build on existing policy and the recommendations contained in the report of the National Task Force on Suicide. It is an issue with which the Government is very engaged and the President, Mrs. McAleese, has taken a special interest in this area.
I accept the figure for 478 deaths is worrying, in particular the breakdown between the 387 male and 91 female deaths. The Government is aware of and concerned about the number of young males who have committed suicide in recent times.
I wish to question the Minister on the infant mortality rate and cancer deaths but I suspect other Deputies would first want to ask about suicide statistics. Would it be in order if I came in subsequently?
Yes. I call Deputy Neville.
In 1998 the National Task Force on Suicide made 86 recommendations in regard to suicide prevention but very little has been achieved. The National Suicide Review Group was established to introduce and advise on the recommendations. Does the Government plan to introduce the recommendations?
Deputy, this is purely a statistical question. I do not know whether some of the recommendations relate to the Central Statistics Office. The question should be addressed to the line Minister responsible.
On the statistical information, the figures released and available to the House in the past two years show that 452 suicides occurred in 2002. That figure has now been revised by the Central Statistics Office to 478. Will the Minister explain the alteration in the figures provided to the House? Will he indicate when preliminary figures from the Central Statistics Office for 2004 will be made available? They are usually available at this time of year.
The revision probably occurred because there are two types of statistics, date of registration figures compiled on a quarterly basis and date of occurrence data which are compiled later. The figure I now have for deaths in 2004 is 478, which relates to the occurrence data. Figures for 2003 will be available——
I asked for figures for 2004.
The figures I have provided to the House relate to 2002. It will probably be later this year before we have the figures for 2003.
To move to the issue of the infant mortality rate, has the Central Statistics Office an explanation as to why the Irish rate of five deaths per 1,000 is higher than the EU 15 rate prior to accession and the EU 25 rate for infant mortality? It seems anomalous in a country that is supposed to be one of the more prosperous in Europe that we have such a high rate of infant mortality. How is this explained and how is the information used within the health service?
During 2002 the number of deaths of infants under one year was 305 compared with 331 in 2001. The infant death rate in 2002 was five per 1,000 live births. This was a decrease on the 2001 figure of 5.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. The Irish rate is higher than the current EU 15 average of 4.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births and the current EU 25 average of 4.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Some 41% of infant deaths occurred on their first day.
The number of stillbirths occurring during 2002 was 364 compared with 358 in 2001. The stillbirth rate in 2002 was six per 1,000 births, a decrease on the 2001 figure of 6.1 stillbirths per 1,000 births.
I asked if the CSO had an opinion on what the factors are regarding the infant mortality rate in Ireland, compared not only to the rate in the 15 EU countries but in the extended 25 EU countries. Many of these countries have standards of living much lower than ours.
That may be a question for the line Minister.
Yes. I can only suggest that this kind of question on specifics, on policy issues and on follow-up policies with regard to these figures, be put to the line Minister, the Minister for Health and Children, who is sitting beside me. I can only share with the Deputy the data I have with me.
I have a further health-related question with regard to the vital statistics. Cancer deaths make up a quarter of all deaths in the year under consideration. Has the Minister for State figures regarding how this relates to the situation in other EU countries? Has he got National Cancer Registry figures for the regions? The last report I saw from the registry indicated that certain regions have higher than national average rates for all cancers. The Dublin metropolitan area, County Louth and the Cork-Kerry areas were all seen to have rates for all cancers which are higher than the national average. Can the Minister of State supply information as to where we stand with regard to other European countries, how the regional statistics for cancer deaths are compiled, and how they compare?
I will supply the Deputy with the figures I have and will ask the CSO to pass on to the Deputy the relevant regional figures and the comparisons with figures in other European countries. The figures I have will be of interest to the Deputy and to others.
Of the deaths occurring in 2000, 25.3% were due to cancer, 26.1% to various forms of heart disease, 13.2% to other diseases of the circulatory system and 14.6% to diseases of the respiratory system. The number of deaths occurring in 2002, 29,683, was the lowest recorded since the production of vital statistics began in 1864. The death rate of 7.6 per 1,000 of the population in 2002 was also the lowest ever recorded.