The latest census figures in Northern Ireland show there are more Catholics than Protestants for the first time in its 101-year history |
The census reveals that of the resident population, 45.7% are either Catholic or brought up Catholic.9.3% of people said they neither belonged to nor were brought up in any religion.
The Taoiseach said in his discussions with the British Prime Minister at the weekend, they both agreed that it was imperative the Stormont Assembly and Executive was restored as quickly as possible. Those who described their identity as British only identity has fallen from 40% to 31.9%, from 772,400 in 2011 to 606,300.
The number who now hold an Irish passport either solely or jointly has increased from 375,800 in 2011 to 614,300 in 2021.The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency says this is consistent with the increasing demand for Irish passports since the UK left the EU in 2016. Read more:'Historic change' - politicians and academics react to NI censusSDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the shift is"a seminal moment in the history of modern Ireland" that should not be downplayed.
However, critics of that approach view religious affiliation as a crude metric to measure sentiment on the constitutional question, insisting that just because someone is Protestant or Catholic does not necessarily mean their respective political outlooks are unionist or nationalist.
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