The Irish government's expenditure on health is the 3rd highest in the EU per person. They spend €6,000 per man, women & child every year - twice that of the average European country. No wonder we are one of the longest living and healthiest people in the EU. 🇮🇪👍 www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

Irish exports are a massive success story. We've doubled the amount of goods exported over the past decade. But the real success has been services - we now export FOUR times the value we did a decade ago. 🇮🇪📈 www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

Ireland is the 6th freest country in the world, economically speaking. In fact, the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom Report judges Ireland to be the freest in the EU for working, transacting, contracting, and owning and using productive property. 🇮🇪👏 www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/econ...

Irish men are 8cm taller today than they were a century ago thanks to better nutrition and less disease. The height of Irish men had barely changed in previous centuries, aside from those whose growth was stunted in the Great Famine. Great progress 🧍‍♂️🇮🇪 ourworldindata.org/grapher/aver...

Ireland is among the very best countries in the world in establishing and maintaining the rule of law. 🇮🇪👍 We rank 8th alongside Nordic & Western European nations and NZ. The rule of law is the foundation stone of a democratic society and imperative for social and economic development. A great result

Ireland has the 10th best reputation of any nation in the world among G7 countries. Citizens of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK & US rated places on factors such as trust, admiration, respect, and overall image. A strong result for Ireland 🇮🇪🎉 corporatereputationlab.com/en/canada-an...

Well-being levels in Ireland are among the highest in the EU. The European Commission's Social Scoreboard assess equal opportunities, fair working conditions, social protection & inclusion. Ireland is judged a best performer or better than average in 10 of 18 criteria. 🇮🇪👏 www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

Ireland has one of the youngest populations in Europe. There are 4+ working age people for every person aged 65 years and over. That gives us the lowest old age dependency ratio in Europe (after Luxembourg) and a good basis to support our aging population 🇮🇪🧑🧓 ec.europa.eu/eurostat/sta...

Interestingly, Irish people own far fewer cars than most Europeans. Italians own 7 cars for every 10 people, but in Ireland we own fewer than 5. Is it due to our small size, so we've less far to travel? Does our public transport do the job well for most people? 🚗🇮🇪 ec.europa.eu/eurostat/sta...

Ireland has one of the lowest poverty rates in Europe. 17% of Irish people are considered at risk of poverty or social exclusion due to low incomes and material deprivation. That's one of the lowest in Europe, with only five other countries doing better. www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-europ...

Irish people overwhelmingly listen to American music. 57% of our top artists on Spotify are American, 24% are British, and just 8.5% are local. Only Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders listen to a greater share of American music than the Irish. 🎶 www.skoove.com/blog/spotify...

The world is becoming safer for most people. 73% of adults worldwide say they feel safe walking alone at night in their city or area - the highest level since Gallup began asking this in 2006. The next challenge is to close the gender gap whereby women feel less safe. news.gallup.com/poll/695240/...

Ireland is the 18th most innovative country in the world according to the Global Innovation Index. The World Intellectual Property Organisation ranks 130 nations on policy, education, infrastructure & knowledge creation. Ireland is Europe's 10th most innovative - its highest ranking since 2020. 🇮🇪👏

It was a thrilling experience for me to be part of the Culture Night programme. Thanks to the Institute of International & European Affairs for inviting me to speak on 'Ideas for a Better World' with Eileen Dunne & Heather Burke. Lots of great ideas floated and very thoughtful audience engagement. 👏

Youth alcohol consumption in Ireland is declining. Teenagers today consume 25% less than kids in the 1990s. In fact, our children consume less alcohol than the average European. Good progress. 🇮🇪👍 alcoholireland.ie/youth-drinki...

The Irish education system is high quality, and 71% of Irish people agree with that. Our children leave with a high level of skills in English, math, and science. Only those in Singapore are more positive about the state of their education system. 🇮🇪🧑‍🏫 www.ipsos.com/sites/defaul...

Ireland is becoming a more equal country. No matter how you measure income inequality, it's in decline and is at the lowest levels yet recorded. This is true even when you account for rising housing costs. Let's keep that going. 🇮🇪👍 www.esri.ie/publications...

Have you plans for Culture Night on Friday? Why not join me and RTE's Eileen Dunne to share ideas for a better world. We're speaking at the Institute of International and European Affairs in North Great George's Street in Dublin at 6 pm. And there's a glass of wine for you to enjoy too. 🍷

Childhood poverty in Ireland has declined markedly. In the late 1960s, 22% of people described their childhood economic circumstances as bad/very bad. By the 2000s, that figure had fallen to 9%. Unfortunately, progress slowed in recent years so there's more to be done 🇮🇪🧒 www.esri.ie/publications...

Average incomes in Ireland have doubled over the past 30 years - and that's allowing for inflation and taxes. 🇮🇪🎉 This huge rise in disposable income means that we have twice as much money in our pockets at the end of the month to cover our living costs. www.esri.ie/publications...

Ireland's national debt (as a share of income) has shrunk rapidly due to strong economic growth. Before the pandemic, our debt was 110% the size of our domestic economy (i.e. excluding foreign multinationals). Now it stands at just 68% and falling. 🇮🇪 www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

The suicide rate in Ireland has halved over the past 25 years. It's an incredibly positive achievement. Investment in mental health services, reduced alcohol consumption, and improved financial well-being have all contributed. 🇮🇪👏 www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

The majority of Irish people think the country is going in the right direction. 62% say so, and only 29% disagree. In fact, we are one of the most positive people in the EU about the state of our nation - only Luxembourg and Poland are more positive. 🇮🇪👍 europa.eu/eurobaromete...

Ireland has passed a magnificent milestone. For the first time ever, the majority of new cars sold over the past 12 months were electric or hybrid. Pure petrol and diesel cars are increasingly unpopular. We're driving a major sustainability shift for the good of all. 🚗🇮🇪 www.cso.ie/en/releasesa...

Did you do a transition year in secondary school? 20 years ago, most children didn't. Today, 8-in-10 pupils do, including 7-in-10 of those in disadvantaged areas. Participation helps children mature, grow in confidence and independence, and develop their skills. www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

Back to school? Primary school class sizes in Ireland are shrinking, and pupil-teacher ratios have never been better. 🇮🇪🧑‍🏫 The average class now has 22 children in it, but often has a second teacher in the room to assist those children who need extra support. www.gov.ie/en/departmen...

Wealth inequality in Ireland decreased hugely over the past decade. Poorer households reduced debt, and homeowners in the middle & low wealth brackets benefited from rising house prices. Ireland is a far more equal country than most European nations. 🇮🇪 www.centralbank.ie/statistics/d...

Are the Irish emigrating in greater numbers? There is very little net emigration by Irish people. 35,000 left last year, but 31,500 returned, so the net figure was 3,500 (a decrease on last year). Net emigration was eight times higher back in 2012. 🇮🇪🧳 www.cso.ie/en/releasesa...

What age is too old to start a degree course at university? You're never too old! That's what 72% of Irish people say - and we are the most supportive of lifelong education among 32 countries surveyed. 🇮🇪🎓 resources.ipsos.com/rs/297-CXJ-7...

Ireland is judged to be the 2nd most peaceful country in the world in the Global Peace Index 2025. 🇮🇪😎 Iceland is considered the most peaceful and New Zealand is third. Read the BBC's report on us here www.bbc.com/travel/artic...

Employment in Ireland continues to grow strongly. There are now more than 2.8 million people in jobs - and that's 64,000 more than this time last year. 🇮🇪👏 www.cso.ie/en/releasesa...

Want a surefire way to feel happier this weekend? Get out and about in nature. Nearly 90% of us report feeling happier after spending time in nature, with 82% reporting less stress and/or anxiety. Make the most of that extra leisure time 🏞️😎 www.cso.ie/en/releasesa...

How old do you think you will live to be? Irish people say 81 years, on average, and that's nearly spot on - life expectancy in Ireland today is 82 years. In the mid-1970s, it was only 72 years. We're living longer, healthier, and happier than ever. 🇮🇪🧓 resources.ipsos.com/rs/297-CXJ-7...

The world is becoming happier. More people across more countries say they are living better lives today and are hopeful for tomorrow, and fewer are suffering. 33% of adults across 142 countries rate their lives positively enough to be deemed "thriving", and the trend suggests even better to come 🌍😊

At what age are you "old"? Irish people say it's when you reach 68. Italians and Spaniards say you're not old until you're 73. La dolce vita, indeed 👵👴🥂 resources.ipsos.com/rs/297-CXJ-7...

Good thing or bad thing? Irish people spend an average of 40 years in the workplace. That's the 5th longest in the EU. The Dutch work longest (44 years), then the Swedes (43). In contrast, the Italians work for just 33 years. 🧑‍💼🧑‍⚕️🧑‍🏭👷🇮🇪 ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/...

Ireland has been judged the 16th best country in the world for its culture and heritage. Ireland ranked just below the UK and a little ahead of the US. 🇮🇪 Greece, Italy & Spain topped the survey of 17,000 people for US News. www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-4...

The vast majority of Irish people support a common defence and security policy among EU members. 72% are in favour and only 20% opposed. We face increasing threats to our security and need to make a step change to enhance our defences. 🇮🇪🪖 europa.eu/eurobaromete...

We do a great job of retaining children in school in Ireland. Less than 3% fail to complete secondary education - the lowest figure in all the EU after Croatia. We've come a long way since the 1980s when 30% didn't finish. A dramatic improvement 🇮🇪👏 ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/...

We are eliminating poverty and growing the standard of living of people worldwide. In 1987, the World Bank identified 30% of countries as low-income and 25% as high-income. Today only 12% are low-income and 40% of countries are now high-income. Great progress. blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/...

Where were you 40 years ago today? I was in the Gaeltacht and the teachers put a TV in the gym hall for the afternoon for us to watch history being made at #LiveAid. The National Library of Ireland has digitised 2,000+ Live Aid pics - browse at catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Resul... #LiveAidat40

Going somewhere this weekend to escape the heat? 😅 Dublin airport is now the 10th busiest airport in the EU, with roughly the same number of passengers as Lisbon & Mallorca (and that's with a ridiculous cap on passenger numbers). Enjoy the sunshine 🇮🇪 ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/...

Irish families are still the largest in Europe! More Irish households have children than in any other EU country aside from Slovakia (31% do), and more of them contain 3+ children than anywhere else. That's a healthy place to be. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🇮🇪 ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/...

Ireland is the 2nd best country in the world for work-life balance, according to the Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025 from Remote. Our friendliness, positive work culture, and safety, is accompanied by good levels of pay and annual leave. I hope you're feeling it! 🇮🇪😊 remote.com/resources/re...

Irish people have a good level of trust in the news, and are more trusting of it than those elsewhere in Europe, the UK or US. Half agree that you can trust the news most of the time, a quarter are on the fence, and a quarter disagree. High trust is good for democracy 🇮🇪 www.cnam.ie/digital-news...

Irish people are very interested in the news - and to a greater extent than people in the UK, USA, or most of Europe. 56% of us say we are very or extremely interested. It's a good sign of a healthy democracy. 🇮🇪📰 www.cnam.ie/digital-news...

Wages in Ireland increased faster than in any other EU15 country over the past three decades. Stripping out inflation, Irish workers enjoyed a 64% wage increase (rising to 72% for those in fulltime jobs). This far exceeds that experienced elsewhere 🇮🇪🎉 interessant3.substack.com/p/interessan...

Most Irish people believe their TDs are generally competent and hard working (70% say so), and that the level of aggression towards them is unacceptable (79% agree). It's a hard life, but an important job. Public representatives deserve our respect. www.electoralcommission.ie/latest-news-...

Ireland's unemployment rate is one of the lowest worldwide. Currently, just 4.0% of those seeking work don't have a job. That's well below the rate in most other leading economies. 🇮🇪👍 www.visualcapitalist.com/charted-unem...

Addicted to your device? Irish children are LESS likely to be anxious without their digital devices than the children of most other OECD nations. Only 13% of 15 year olds in Ireland say they are nervous without them - so 87% that don't feel that way (thankfully!) 🇮🇪📵 www.oecd.org/en/about/new...