A reply to a recent parliamentary question elicited a disturbing trend in the number of births attributable to "unknown father". Set out in tabular form, the information given shows at a glance the stark reality of this questionable trend.

Year: 1993
Total births: 5,602
Father unknown: 62 (1.11%)

Year: 2003
Total births: 4,183
Father unknown: 237 (5.67%)

Year: 2005
Total births: 3,995
Father unknown: 289 (7.23%)

Year: 2008
Total births: 4,258
Father unknown: 359 (8.43%)

In the 16 years to 2008 the number of total births fell by 24 per cent, yet the number born from "unknown fathers" rose by 479 per cent! Over eight per cent of births into 2008 fall into the same category.

Allowing for the fact that the same father may have been responsible for the birth of more than one child registered as being by an "unknown father", such births over a six-year period to 2008 have been running at an average annual rate close to 300.

Thus, there is a growing impact on the country's social services bill as the mothers involved are obviously drawing social security benefits as "single mothers" while possibly still living with and being supported by their partners.

It has been reported that between 2003 and 2007 the number of single unmarried parents rose by no less than 1,000. The same report stated that in 2007 the government forked out over €8 million in benefits to single unmarried mothers or €1.2 million more than in 2006 and almost double the benefits handed out in 2003.

The Minister for Health and Social Policy is on record as having said that this is a matter that is receiving the government's attention. Clearly the system is being abused and the sooner the government clamps down heavily on abusers the better. Surely it is too much to expect honest law-abiding taxpayers to subsidise such blatant abuse.