PART 1: SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHICS
Ethnicity
Children from different races and ethnicities can show lower levels of well-being in a number of areas, including health, mortality, school performance and achievement, and access to family and community resources..3
Measure
The percentage of children by ethnicity or cultural background.
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Key findings
- In 2006, there were 908,308 children aged under 18 (88.1% of the total) whose ethnic status was defined as 'White: Irish' (see Table 9). Another 10,894 were defined as 'White: Irish Traveller' and 41,514 as 'Any other White background'. Another 19,445 children under 18 (1.9% of the total) were defined as 'Black or Black Irish' and 10,919 (1.1% of the total) as 'Asian or Asian Irish'.
Table 9: Percentage of children under 18, by age and ethnic or cultural background (2006)
| Ethnic or cultural background | 0-4 years |
5-9 years |
10-14 years |
15-17 years |
Total % |
Total population under 18 | % Population under 18 |
| White: Irish | 27.8 | 27.9 | 27.1 | 17.2 | 100.0 | 908,308 | 88.1 |
| White: Irish Traveller | 30.3 | 27.7 | 27.1 | 14.9 | 100.0 | 10,894 | 1.1 |
| Any other White background | 29.1 | 29.2 | 27.0 | 14.7 | 100.0 | 41,514 | 4.0 |
| Black or Black Irish | 52.5 | 27.0 | 13.7 | 6.7 | 100.0 | 19,445 | 1.9 |
| Asian or Asian Irish | 41.8 | 27.8 | 20.4 | 10.0 | 100.0 | 10,919 | 1.1 |
| Other, including mixed background | 36.7 | 28.8 | 22.3 | 12.2 | 100.0 | 14,128 | 1.4 |
| Not stated | 50.0 | 25.1 | 17.2 | 7.7 | 100.0 | 25,624 | 2.5 |
| Total | 29.2 | 27.9 | 26.4 | 16.5 | 100.0 | 1,030,832 | 100.0 |
Source: Census of the Population, CSO
- 91.7% of children under 18 with a white background were born in the State (see Table 10). This compared with 59% for children who have a Black or Black Irish ethnicity and 46% for children with an Asian or Asian Irish background.
Table10 : Percentage of children under 18, by birthplace and ethnic or cultural background (2006)
| Ethnic or cultural group | Ireland (Republic) | UK | EU | Africa | Asia | Other countries (including 'not stated') | Total % |
Total population under 18 |
| White | 91.7 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 100.0 | 960,716 |
| Black or Black Irish | 59.0 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 35.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 100.0 | 19,445 |
Source: Census of the Population, CSO
- In 2006, 78.9% of those children with a White background lived in households that were owner-occupied (see Table 11). This compared with 46.8% of children from an Asian or Asian Irish background and to 18.1% of those with a Black or Black Irish background.
Table 11: Percentage of children under 18, by nature of occupancy and ethnic or cultural background (2006)
| Ethnic or cultural group | Owner-occupied | Rented accommodation | Not stated |
Total % |
Total |
| White | 78.9 | 18.5 | 2.5 | 100.0 | 960,716 |
| Black or Black Irish | 18.1 | 68.2 | 13.6 | 100.0 | 19,445 |
| Asian or Asian Irish | 46.8 | 45.9 | 7.2 | 100.0 | 10,919 |
| Other, including mixed background | 48.3 | 45.2 | 6.5 | 100.0 | 14,128 |
| Not stated | 45.1 | 36.0 | 18.9 | 100.0 | 25,624 |
| Total | 76.2 | 20.5 | 3.3 | 100.0 | 1,030,832 |
Source: Census of the Population, CSO
Technical notes
Figures refer to all people usually resident within the State on Census night in 2006 and present in private and communal establishments.
The identification of children according to their ethnic or cultural background is based on responses to Question 14 of the 2006 Census of Population. The question asked people to choose one of the following options defining their ethnic or cultural identity:
| (A) White: | Irish Irish Traveller Any other White background |
| (B) Black or Black Irish: | African Any other Black background |
| (C) Asian or Asian Irish: | Chinese Any other Asian background |
| (D) Other, including mixed background | (write in description) |
