Deaths exceeded births in half of Kerry's local electoral areas in 2022.
That’s according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office.
The report indicates negative natural increases - meaning there were more deaths than births - in Kenmare, Tralee, and Castleisland LEAs that year.
The CSO report also found that the Tralee LEA had the highest rate of deaths nationally due to tumours and cancers.
According to the CSO just 15 out of 166 LEA’s recorded a negative natural increase, three of which were located in Kerry.
The figures show Kenmare recorded a minus 1.2 rate per 1,000 population, with 233 births and 268 deaths registered.
In the Castleisland LEA 166 deaths occurred and 161 births were recorded, a natural decrease of 0.2.
360 births were recorded in 2022 in Tralee, while 286 deaths were registered, a 0.7 natural decrease.
The remaining LEA’s in Kerry recorded natural increases in the year, Killarney at 4 (311 births, 185 deaths), Corca Dhuibhne 1.5 (134 births, 111 deaths) and Listowel 0.3 (263 births, 254 deaths).
Tralee recorded the highest death rate due to neoplasms (tumours and cancer) nationally at 334.5 per 100,000 population.
Meanwhile, Castleisland recorded the highest crude death for external causes in the country, at a rate of 70.8.
This includes deaths due to suicide, accidents, poisoning and other external factors, nationally this rate stood at 31.3 per 100,000 in 2022.
