Munster named as Irish region 'least satisfied with quality of life'
A quality-of-life survey has named Munster as the least satisfied region in Ireland - with Connacht being the most satisfied.
Over 1,200 people living in Ireland completed the VitalSigns 2015 report from philanthropic organisation The Community Foundation for Ireland.
Result also revealed that the 75+ age group is the most satisfied with life in Ireland, the least satisfied age group being 45-54 year-olds.
Out of the 115 options that people were presented with, the following were top 10 most important issues for those living in Ireland today:
1. Public Transport Services
2. Quality of the education system
3. Walking
4. Early Childhood Development
5. Mobility and transport of older people
6. Literacy Levels
7. Affordability of everyday life
8. Home life of older people
9. Air Quality
10. Homelessness
Originating in Canada, Ireland became the first European country to gauge public sentiment of the standard of living within a nation using this method in 2013.
The report combines the survey results with published factual data and expert leaders’ opinions. It grades each area on a scale of A-F, similar to a school report card. Ireland maintained an overall grading of C+ for satisfaction with life.
The areas that people are most satisfied with are Arts and Culture, which maintains it B- rating from 2013, and Learning which increased from a C+ to a B-.
The areas that decreased in grade from 2013 were housing from C- to D+, Inclusive Society from a C to a C- and Older People that also dropped from a C+ to a C.
Housing scored the lowest and over 1,000 individual comments were received from the public looking to voice their concerns in this area.
The three priorities that people highlighted in this area were homelessness, availability of rental housing and cost of renting.
“The better we understand our communities, the better equipped we are to make decisions and take action to improve them,” said Tina Roche, CEO, The Community Foundation for Ireland.
“Ireland’s VitalSigns 2015 tells us what makes Ireland vibrant and what we have to celebrate. The report also highlights a number of gaps and challenges that we are facing. Identifying the areas that need improving and are most important to people, it provides us with an opportunity to create change and have a positive impact.
“In recent years a global movement on well-being has been developing which aims to encourage social change and to empower citizens. Research indicates that compiling measures of wellbeing can help governments focus on what matters to people as well as informing community and voluntary organisations, businesses and individuals.
“The VitalSigns report is an essential resource to measure trends, progress and gaps in Irish society and to inform The Community Foundation for Ireland’s CFI’s donors in deciding how to optimise their charitable giving. We hope that other organisations, academics, key influencers and decision makers, as well as individuals will harness the knowledge from VitalSigns to address and bridge the gaps in our society.”
