Ireland’s life expectancy is now 82.9 years, putting the country above the OECD average but still behind the top performers.
A new OECD report shows it rises slightly year on year, but warns major health access issues remain.
Ireland’s life expectancy moves up by 0.3 years, according to the latest Health at a Glance report, placing the country ahead of the OECD average of 81.1.
Switzerland continues to lead globally at 84.3 years, followed by Japan and Spain, while the UK lags at 81.
Despite the improvement here, the OECD highlights significant challenges, with only 65 percent of people in Ireland satisfied with the availability of quality healthcare.
Health spending here stands at 6.9 percent of GDP, well below countries like Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where it accounts for more than 11 percent.
Daily smoking prevalence in Ireland is at 14.0%, while 24% of adults did not perform sufficient physical activity.
It says preventable illnesses, including heart disease and cancer, remain the biggest drivers of premature deaths across member countries.
You can download the full report HERE
