Ireland sees greatest jump in life expectancy among all of EU

Robert Besser
23 Mar 2023, 23:16 GMT+10

Ireland's life expectancy has seen the greatest gains among all EU nations, according to one of the country's top health officials.
Officials announced that in 2021 life expectancy in Ireland was 84.4 years for women and 80.8 years for men.
Specifically, Ireland has witnessed significant reductions in deaths caused by cancers, heart attack and stroke.

DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's life expectancy has seen the greatest gains among all EU nations, according to one of the country's top health officials.

Speaking to a parliamentary health care committee this week, incoming chief executive of the Health Service Executive, Bernard Gloster, said that in 2021 life expectancy in Ireland was 84.4 years for women and 80.8 years for men. This was an increase of 1.4 years and 2.2 years, respectively, in the last decade.

During the same time period, EU nations reported increases of 0.1 years and 0.5 years.

Gloster said the reason Ireland has seen sharp increases in life expectancy was the decline in deaths from major diseases.

Specifically, Ireland has witnessed significant reductions in deaths caused by cancers, heart attack and stroke.

Further, in the last ten years Ireland has seen a decline in deaths from heart attacks of 18.2 percent, stroke at 33.5 percent and cancers at 33.4 percent.

"The success of our combined community, acute and public health teams in mitigating the impact for so many cannot be understated," Gloster told the committee members, as quoted by the Irish Times.

Gloster also took note of other health statistics, noting that infant mortality rates dropped by 14.3 percent in the last decade to three deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020.

He also acknowledged HSE staff, who he said had been "through several years of additional and demanding periods, brought about by the need to respond to a pandemic, cope with a cyberattack and work through one of the most challenging winters on record for health services."

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Irish Sun.

More Information

3 ℃

Fair in Dublin

International

Section

China wants Hong Kong consulates to give personal data of local staff

HONG KONG: The Chinese Foreign Ministry has issued a request to all foreign consulates in Hong Kong, seeking the personal ...

Rattlesnake bites Amazon driver in Florida during delivery

MARTIN COUNTY, Florida: An Amazon driver making a delivery to a Florida home this week was bitten by a rattlesnake ...

Canada's TMX expansion may triple oil flow to country's Pacific Coast

CALGARY, Canada: From early 2024, the long-delayed and controversial Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion (TMX) is expected to ...

Pakistan's Supreme Court proceedings go live on state TV

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan's Supreme Court proceedings were broadcast live on state television on Monday, providing an unprecedented glimpse into the ...

9 teenagers caught after escaping from Pennsylvania detention center

MORGANTOWN, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania state police said that nine teenage boys who escaped from the Abraxas Academy detention center this week ...

3,000 homeless in Anchorage looking for a place to stay before winter

ANCHORAGE, Alaska: Anchorage is struggling to find housing options for more than 3,000 homeless residents, as the city's mass shelter ...

Europe

Section