Sir, – Your recent report of the latest population figures is welcome news.
Figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the population of the State now stands at 5,011,500 which surpasses for the first time the total for 1851. The growth over the last 50 years contrasts sharply with the first 50 years of the State when the population grew by a mere 6,256, or 0.2 per cent between 1926 and 1971.
There is an even greater contrast with the situation in Northern Ireland. Here in the period 1926-71 the population grew by 279,504 or 22.2 per cent, thanks to successful social and economic policies.
Indeed by 1971 the population had surpassed the number for the six counties of Northern Ireland in 1851. By 2001 the figure had surpassed the pre-Famine figure of 1841.
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At present the population stands at some 15 per cent above the 1841 figure. The new population figures for the Republic show welcome growth. They reflect successful social and economic policies.
Still, they are over 20 per cent below the 1841 total. Hopefully in the next decades the southern population will continue to increase and match northern success in growing its population.
– Yours, etc,
BRIAN M WALKER,
Belfast.
Sir, – Desmond Ferriter writes that much has been made of our population reaching more than five million but that it is far less than the figure in excess of eight million in pre-Famine times (Opinion, September 3rd.)
The pre-Famine figure is for the whole island and the current figure for the whole island is 6.8 million.
Still considerably less than pre-Famine times but with a population enjoying a vastly increased standard of living.
More is not always better.
– Yours, etc,
LOUIS O’FLAHERTY,
Santry,
Dublin 9.