Cohabitation in Ireland: evidence from survey data

Cohabitation has grown strongly in Ireland over the last decade. We use large-scale surveys to characterise its extent and nature. We find it has almost tripled in incidence between 1994 and 2002. It is associated with being young, urban and in the labour market. Most cohabitations are short, and a high proportion end in marriage. Over 40% of new marriages are now preceded by cohabitation, making it close to a majority practice rather than the deviant behaviour it would have been a generation ago. In this respect it seems to be developing as an adaptation of marriage rather than an alternative to it.