asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons living alone and the number between age (a) 65 and 75 years; (b) 75 and 85 years; and over 85 years for the years 1980, 1985 and the projected number for 1990.
Written Answers. - Statistics on Elderly.
210.
The following table contains information on the numbers of elderly by age, category and year:
|
Age Group |
1981 a |
1984 b |
1991 c Projections |
|
65-74 |
237,057 |
238,100 |
237,300 |
|
75-84 |
108,913 |
112,000 |
125,500 |
|
85+ |
22,984 |
23,300 |
25,000 |
a Census of Population of Ireland 1981, Vol. 2. CSO.
b Estimates CSO, 1984.
c Population and Labour Force Projections 1986-91, CSO, 1985.
Figures for the years the Deputy asked for are not available. Corresponding figures for the number of elderly people living alone are not available either. However according to the 1981 Census there were 21,768 persons between 65 and 70 and 46,266 persons over 70 living in single person households. Projections in the National Council for the Aged report, Housing of the Elderly in Ireland, suggest that by the year 2000 there will be 89,400 persons aged 65 years and over living alone.