The number of births recorded in Clare in the third quarter of last year fell by 20 percent compared to the same timeframe a decade ago.
364 births were documented across the Banner between July and September of 2021.
Figures released by the Central Statistics Office show while the number of babies born in this county increased significantly between the second and third quarters of last year, the overall picture shows a steady decline over the past decade.
466 births were registered in Clare between July and September of 2011, a number which dropped by more than 20 percent last year.
The percentage of births outside of marriage also continues to increase here.
They accounted for 42 percent of births in Clare in the third quarter of 2021, compared to 30 percent in the same timeframe ten years prior.
The average age of a first time mother in this county is on the up in line with national societal trends.
It stood at 30.4 in 2011 and has jumped by more than a year to 31.5 as of 2021.
