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Measuring Ireland's Progress 2020

Health

Table 5.1 Ireland: Current public expenditure on health care, 2009-20191
YearCurrent Public Expenditure
Total (€m)%GNI%GNI*Per capita at constant 2019 prices (€)
200913,7489.710.23,048
201013,4209.610.43,085
201113,1229.410.32,975
201213,3839.510.52,979
201313,0568.69.62,978
201413,2128.08.92,994
201513,8486.98.53,113
201614,6226.68.43,244
201715,4866.68.43,328
201816,6286.68.43,501
201917,7366.48.23,604
Source: CSO, System of Health Accounts
1Break in series in 2013 (see Appendix 1).
  • Current public expenditure on health care in Ireland was €17.7bn in 2019, up €1.1bn on the previous year.
  • As a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI), public health spending decreased from 9.7% in 2009 to 6.4% in 2019.
  • As a proportion of Modified GNI (GNI*), public expenditure on health care represented 8.2% in 2019, a 0.2 percentage point decrease on the previous year.
  • Between 2009 and 2019, public health spending per capita at constant 2019 prices increased from €3,048 to €3,604, an 18.2% increase over the time period.
YearExpenditure per capita at constant 2019 prices
20093048
20103085
20112975
20122979
20132978
20142994
20153113
20163244
20173328
20183501
20193604
Table 5.2 By country: Current expenditure on health care as a percentage of GDP, 2015-20191
Country% of GDPPPS € per capita
201520162017201820192019
Germany11.211.211.311.511.74,658.6
Ireland % GNI*11.010.910.710.411.43,633.1
France11.511.511.311.211.13,769.7
Sweden10.810.910.810.910.93,968.1
Belgium10.410.810.810.810.73,901.3
Austria10.410.410.410.310.44,077.6
Netherlands10.310.310.110.010.24,102.0
Denmark10.210.110.010.110.03,915.0
Portugal9.39.49.39.49.52,392.5
Finland9.79.49.19.09.23,258.1
Spain9.19.09.09.09.12,573.2
Italy8.98.78.78.78.72,611.2
Slovenia8.58.58.28.38.52,361.1
Czech Republic7.27.17.17.57.82,442.6
Greece8.18.38.18.07.81,657.4
Bulgaria7.47.57.57.37.11,316.6
Croatia6.86.86.86.97.01,439.6
Cyprus6.86.66.66.87.01,945.7
Lithuania6.56.66.56.57.01,949.2
Slovakia6.87.06.86.77.01,564.6
Estonia6.46.46.66.76.71,791.9
Ireland % GDP7.37.47.16.96.73,633.1
Latvia::6.06.26.61,457.5
Poland6.36.56.66.36.51,636.2
Hungary6.97.06.86.66.41,550.8
Romania5.05.05.25.65.71,354.4
Luxembourg5.35.25.35.35.43,869.9
Malta9.29.19.29.0::
       
United Kingdom9.99.99.89.910.23,214.5
       
EFTA Countries:      
Switzerland11.011.311.511.211.35,101.8
Norway10.110.610.310.010.54,820.6
Iceland8.18.18.38.48.63,245.4
Liechtenstein5.85.95.75.45.6:
Source: Eurostat System of Health Accounts, CSO NIEAR
1Sorted by 2019, descending.
: Data is unavailable.
  • In 2019, current health care spending in Ireland as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 6.7%. This put Ireland at joint twentieth with Estonia in the EU27 for health spending.
  • As a percentage of Modified Gross National Income (GNI*), total expenditure on health care in Ireland was 11.4% in 2019.
  • Germany had the highest proportion of GDP allocated towards health care in the EU27 in 2019 at 11.7%, while Luxembourg had the lowest at 5.4%.
CountryCountry
Germany4658.6
Netherlands4102
Austria4077.6
Sweden3968.1
Denmark3915
Belgium3901.3
Luxembourg3869.9
France3769.7
Ireland3633.1
Finland3258.1
Italy2611.2
Spain2573.2
Czech Republic2442.6
Portugal2392.5
Slovenia2361.1
Lithuania1949.2
Cyprus1945.7
Estonia1791.9
Greece1657.4
Poland1636.2
Slovakia1564.6
Hungary1550.8
Latvia1457.5
Croatia1439.6
Romania1354.4
Bulgaria1316.6
Table 5.3 Ireland: Life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by sex, 1925-2017
PeriodAt birthAt age 65
MaleFemaleMaleFemale
1925-192757.457.912.813.4
1935-193758.259.612.513.1
1940-194259.061.012.313.2
1945-194760.562.412.013.1
1950-195264.567.112.113.3
1960-196268.171.912.614.4
1965-196768.672.912.414.7
1970-197268.873.512.415.0
1978-198069.575.012.415.4
1980-198270.175.612.615.7
1985-198771.076.712.616.2
1990-199272.377.913.417.1
1995-199773.078.513.817.4
2001-200375.180.315.418.7
2005-200776.881.616.619.8
2010-201278.482.817.720.6
2015-201779.683.418.321.0
Source: CSO, Births, Deaths and Marriages
  • Life expectancy at birth for males in 2016 was 79.6 years in Ireland, an increase of 22.2 years since 1926.

  • For females, life expectancy at birth in 2016 was 83.4 years, a rise of 25.5 years since 1926.

  • In 1926, life expectancy for females was higher than for males by 0.5 years. This gender gap widened to 5.7 years in 1986, but narrowed to 3.8 years by 2016.

  • A 65 year old man in 2016 could expect to live for another 18.3 years compared to 21.0 years for a 65 year old woman.
YearMaleFemale
192657.457.9
193658.259.6
19415961
194660.562.4
195164.567.1
196168.171.9
196668.672.9
197168.873.5
197969.575
198170.175.6
19867176.7
199172.377.9
19967378.5
200275.180.3
200676.881.6
201178.482.8
201679.683.4
Table 5.4 By country: Life expectancy at birth by sex, 20191
CountryTotalMalesFemalesGender Differential
Spain84.081.186.7-5.6
Italy83.681.485.7-4.3
Sweden83.281.584.8-3.3
France83.079.985.9-6.0
Malta82.981.284.6-3.4
Ireland82.880.884.7-3.9
Luxembourg82.780.285.2-5.0
Cyprus82.380.384.4-4.1
Netherlands82.280.683.7-3.1
Belgium82.179.884.3-4.5
Finland82.179.384.8-5.5
Austria82.079.784.2-4.5
Portugal81.978.784.8-6.1
Greece81.779.284.2-5.0
Slovenia81.678.784.5-5.8
Denmark81.579.583.5-4.0
EU2781.378.584.0-5.5
Germany81.379.083.7-4.7
Czech Republic79.376.482.2-5.8
Estonia79.074.583.0-8.5
Croatia78.675.581.6-6.1
Poland78.074.181.9-7.8
Slovakia77.874.381.2-6.9
Lithuania76.571.681.2-9.6
Hungary76.573.179.7-6.6
Latvia75.770.980.1-9.2
Romania75.671.979.5-7.6
Bulgaria75.171.678.8-7.2
     
United Kingdom::::
     
EFTA Countries:
Liechtenstein84.382.685.8-3.2
Switzerland84.082.185.8-3.7
Iceland83.281.784.7-3.0
Norway83.081.384.7-3.4
     
EU Candidate Countries:
Albania79.177.680.7-3.1
Turkey79.176.481.8-5.4
Montenegro76.774.079.5-5.5
Macedonia76.674.778.6-3.9
Serbia76.073.478.6-5.2
Source: Eurostat, Population and Social Conditions
1Sorted by "Total Persons", descending.
: Data is unavailable.
  • In 2019, Irish male life expectancy at birth was 80.8 years, and was 2.3 years higher than the EU27 average of 78.5 years.
  • Sweden had the highest male life expectancy in the EU27, at 81.5 years, and Latvia had the lowest at 70.9 years.
  • In the same year, female life expectancy at birth in Ireland was 84.7 years, which was 0.7 years higher than the EU27 average.
  • Spain had the highest female life expectancy at 86.7 years, while Bulgaria had the lowest at 78.8 years.
  • Women had a higher life expectancy at birth than men in all EU27 countries. The lowest gender differential (male life expectancy at birth less that of females) was the Netherlands (3.1 years) and the country with the highest was Lithuania (9.6 years).
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
Table 5.5 By country: Healthy life years at birth by sex, 20191,2
CountryTotal PersonsMalesFemalesGender Differential
Sweden73.373.872.71.1
Malta73.272.973.5-0.6
Spain69.969.470.4-1.0
Ireland69.668.670.5-1.9
Italy68.368.168.6-0.5
Bulgaria66.364.468.4-4.0
Germany66.365.467.1-1.7
Greece66.065.666.4-0.8
EU2764.664.265.1-0.9
France64.163.764.6-0.9
Luxembourg62.663.261.91.3
Cyprus62.562.163.0-0.9
Poland62.560.964.1-3.2
Belgium62.462.162.8-0.7
Czech Republic62.061.762.6-0.9
Hungary61.760.762.8-2.1
Netherlands61.062.559.43.1
Slovenia60.960.861.2-0.4
Romania60.259.960.6-0.7
Portugal59.260.657.82.8
Denmark58.959.058.80.2
Lithuania57.556.059.1-3.1
Croatia57.456.458.5-2.1
Austria57.356.758.0-1.3
Finland56.457.754.82.9
Slovakia56.256.056.3-0.3
Estonia55.853.957.7-3.8
Latvia53.152.254.1-1.9
     
United Kingdom::::
     
EFTA Countries:
Norway69.871.268.13.1
Switzerland60.661.060.01.0
Source: Eurostat, Population and Social Conditions
1Sorted by "Total Persons", descending.
2Data unavailable for EU candidate countries.
: Data is unavailable.
  • In 2019, females in Ireland had a healthy life expectancy of 70.5 years, 5.4 years higher than the EU27 average of 65.1 years and the third highest in the EU27.
  • Males in Ireland had a healthy life expectancy of 68.6 years, the fourth highest in the EU27 and above the EU27 average of 64.2 years.
  • Six countries in the EU27 reported a higher number of healthy life years for males than females, namely the Netherlands, Finland, Portugal, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Denmark.
  • The Netherlands had the highest number of healthy life years for males relative to females, with a differential of 3.1 years. Conversely, Bulgaria had the highest gender differential for females relative to males at 4.0 years.
  • There was no country with a gender differential of zero, i.e. both males and females had the same life expectancy.
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
Table 5.6 By country: Proportion of Life Expectancy in poor health for males, 20191,2
 Years%
CountryLife expectancyHealthy life yearsNumber of years in poor healthProportion of Life Expectancy in Poor Health
Sweden81.573.87.79.4
Bulgaria71.664.47.210.1
Malta81.272.98.310.2
Spain81.169.411.714.4
Ireland80.868.612.215.1
Italy81.468.113.316.3
Romania71.959.912.016.7
Hungary73.160.712.417.0
Germany79.065.413.617.2
Greece79.265.613.617.2
Poland74.160.913.217.8
EU2778.564.214.318.2
Czech Republic76.461.714.719.2
France79.963.716.220.3
Luxembourg80.263.217.021.2
Lithuania71.656.015.621.8
Belgium79.862.117.722.2
Netherlands80.662.518.122.5
Cyprus80.362.118.222.7
Slovenia78.760.817.922.7
Portugal78.760.618.123.0
Slovakia74.356.018.324.6
Croatia75.556.419.125.3
Denmark79.559.020.525.8
Latvia70.952.218.726.4
Finland79.357.721.627.2
Estonia74.553.920.627.7
Austria79.756.723.028.9
     
United Kingdom::::
     
EFTA Countries:    
Norway81.371.210.112.4
Switzerland82.161.021.125.7
Source: Eurostat, Population and Social Conditions
1Sorted by "Proportion of Life Expectancy in Poor Health", ascending.
2Data unavailable for EU candidate countries.
: Data is unavailable.
  • Men in Ireland in 2019 could expect to live 68.6 healthy life years, and 12.2 years in poor health, out of a total life expectancy of 80.8 years. This is equivalent to a proportion of life expectancy in poor health of 15.1%.
  • Ireland had the fifth lowest proportion of life expectancy in poor health for males in the EU27, after Sweden (9.4%), Bulgaria (10.1%), Malta (10.2%), and Spain (14.4%).
  • The EU27 average for male healthy life years in 2019 was 64.2 years, while the expected number of years in poor health was 14.3 years. The average proportion of male life expectancy in poor health was 18.2%.
  • Austria had the highest proportion of male life expectancy in poor health in the EU27, at 28.9%.
CountryHealthy YearsPoor Health
Bulgaria64.47.19999999999999
Sweden73.87.7
Malta72.98.3
Spain69.411.7
Romania59.912
Ireland68.612.2
Hungary60.712.4
Poland60.913.2
Italy68.113.3
Germany65.413.6
Greece65.613.6
EU2764.214.3
Czech Republic61.714.7
Lithuania5615.6
France63.716.2
Luxembourg63.217
Belgium62.117.7
Slovenia60.817.9
Netherlands62.518.1
Portugal60.618.1
Cyprus62.118.2
Slovakia5618.3
Latvia52.218.7
Croatia56.419.1
Denmark5920.5
Estonia53.920.6
Finland57.721.6
Austria56.723
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
Table 5.7 By country: Proportion of life expectancy in poor health for females, 20191,2
CountryYears%
Life ExpectancyHealthy Life YearsNumber of Years in Poor HealthProportion of Life Expectancy in Poor Health
Malta84.673.511.113.1
Bulgaria78.868.410.413.2
Sweden84.872.712.114.3
Ireland84.770.514.216.8
Spain86.770.416.318.8
Germany83.767.116.619.8
Italy85.768.617.120.0
Greece84.266.417.821.1
Hungary79.762.816.921.2
Poland81.964.117.821.7
EU2784.065.118.922.5
Czech Republic82.262.619.623.8
Romania79.560.618.923.8
France85.964.621.324.8
Cyprus84.463.021.425.4
Belgium84.362.821.525.5
Lithuania81.259.122.127.2
Luxembourg85.261.923.327.3
Slovenia84.561.223.327.6
Croatia81.658.523.128.3
Netherlands83.759.424.329.0
Denmark83.558.824.729.6
Estonia83.057.725.330.5
Slovakia81.256.324.930.7
Austria84.258.026.231.1
Portugal84.857.827.031.8
Latvia80.154.126.032.5
Finland84.854.830.035.4
     
United Kingdom::::
     
EFTA Countries:    
Norway84.768.116.619.6
Switzerland85.860.025.830.1
Source: Eurostat, Population and Social Conditions
1Sorted by "Proportion of Life Expectancy in Poor Health", ascending.
2Data unavailable for EU candidate countries.
: Data is unavailable.
  • In 2019, females in Ireland could expect to experience 70.5 healthy life years and 14.2 years in poor health, out of a total life expectancy of 84.7 years.
  • In the EU27, Ireland had the fourth lowest proportion of life expectancy in poor health for females in 2019 at 16.8%. Malta had the lowest proportion of life expectancy in poor health (13.1%), followed by Bulgaria (13.2%) and Sweden (14.3%).
  • The EU27 average for female healthy life expectancy in 2019 was 65.1 years, while the number of years in poor health was 18.9 years. The proportion of female life expectancy in poor health was 22.5%.
  • Finland had the highest proportion of female life expectancy in poor health at 35.4%.
CountryHealthy YearsPoor Health
Bulgaria68.410.4
Malta73.511.1
Sweden72.712.1
Ireland70.514.2
Spain70.416.3
Germany67.116.6
Hungary62.816.9
Italy68.617.1
Greece66.417.8
Poland64.117.8
Romania60.618.9
EU2765.118.9
Czech Republic62.619.6
France64.621.3
Cyprus6321.4
Belgium62.821.5
Lithuania59.122.1
Croatia58.523.1
Slovenia61.223.3
Luxembourg61.923.3
Netherlands59.424.3
Denmark58.824.7
Slovakia56.324.9
Estonia57.725.3
Latvia54.126
Austria5826.2
Portugal57.827
Finland54.830
This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.

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