The report also cites a major decrease in the country’s suicide rate since 2009.
Irish people are continuing to live longer, according to a new study.
Published on Friday (27 December), the Health in Ireland – Key Trends 2019 report focuses on several areas including demographics, population health, hospital and primary care and employment and expenditure, underlining the “significant achievements” that Ireland has made for key health outcomes across the past decade.
Chief among the findings is confirmation that Irish people are enjoying longer lives, adding three months per year on average to their life expectancy.
The life expectancy gap between men and women has narrowed from 5.3 years to 3.6 years.
Irish people are also living longer than their European counterparts, with male life expectancy in Ireland above the EU average between 2009 and 2019.
Female life expectancy in Ireland, meanwhile, is now just above the EU average.
Minister for Health Simon Harris endorsed the report on Friday.
Take 2 minutes and have a look at this video on our new key trends in health in Ireland published today. Lots of challenges but lots of progress too. Worth a look https://t.co/nZ2EqdOTO5
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) December 27, 2019
The Department of Health report puts the increase in Irish life expectancy down to significant reductions in major causes of death including circulatory system diseases and cancer.
The report also highlights a reduction in deaths by suicide, citing a 38% decrease in the mortality rate from suicide since 2009.
As of September 2019, over 119,000 people are working in the Irish health service.
You can read the report in full here.
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