The Department of Health has published its Health in Ireland: Key Trends report.
Among the key findings of the report, published on Friday 28 December 2018, are that Irish people, both men and women, are living longer.
Male life expectancy in Ireland has increased by three years and female life expectancy by almost two years since 2006.
Overall, this puts Ireland at ninth in the health expectancy rankings compared to the other European Union member states, with Spain atop the pile.
Cancer mortality and heart attack mortality are lower in Ireland than the EU average. However, suicide mortality is higher than the average.
Diseases of the circulatory system — which include fatalities owing to heart attack or stroke — are the most prevalent cause of death in Ireland, just narrowly ahead of cancer.
Deaths by external causes are most likely to involve transport incidents or suicide.
41% of Irish people believe overall that their health is very good, while 17% believe it is somewhere between fair, bad and very bad.
This self-perception is better than any other in the EU.
The report in full can be downloaded here.
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