Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly has prompted renewed demands for a Minister to be established by the State to specifically tackle loneliness, referring to Ireland as “the loneliest country within Europe”. Official data suggests that one-fifth of Irish inhabitants often or constantly experience isolation, surpassing the European Union average of 13%.
She emphasised the gravity of both national and average EU figures, pointing to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) focus on social connectivity as a crucial way of addressing what it perceives as an urgent health risk – loneliness. The WHO set up a new committee in November 2023 aimed at enhancing social relationships, flagging loneliness as an immediate health concern.
O’Reilly’s party drew attention to the WHO report and also mentioned a study of Canadian Citizen’s Connections made the previous year, which revealed that loneliness contributed annually to 45,000 deaths in the country.
O’Reilly proposed the designation of a Minister to specifically focus on loneliness and asked all local authorities to collaborate with public buildings, libraries, sports partners, and community engagement networks in shaping up local strategies to combat loneliness. Furthermore, she advocates for consistent annual measurement of loneliness, recognising it as a significant public health hazard.
Róisín Garvey, a fellow party member, demanded a commission on loneliness. She reinforced the concern by projecting that more than a quarter of the population would be over 65 by 2050, leading to smaller families and a decreased dependence on family members. As a result, isolation could become a prominent issue. By 2023, over 5,300 elderly individuals had reported feeling isolated.
Garvey also mentioned the rural company Muintir na Tíre and its senior alert system, which provides monitored panic alarms for those over 65. She highlighted that phone calls to the organisation had increased by 46% from those seeking reassurance during the pandemic.
Senator Malachai O’Hara of the Green Party in Northern Ireland recounted that the Northern Ireland Assembly had recently deliberated on a similar topic, specifically addressing the idea of a “cross-departmental strategy”. The Northern statistics reveal that every third disabled person reports feelings of loneliness, labeling the issue as a substantial challenge.
Senator Victor Boyhan, an independent, urged Public Health Minister Colm Burke to revisit an overlooked report on loneliness. This report titled ‘A Connected Island – an Ireland free from Loneliness’ was authored by ex-Senator Dr Keith Swanick. Boyhan expressed that the report comprises crucial requests and assignments that are yet to be fulfilled.
The Minister acknowledged the mounting problem of loneliness, targeting the pandemic as a significant propellor of social estrangement. He pointed out that numerous studies associate loneliness with a myriad of chronic health issues.
Yet, he affirmed that the Government had actually introduced multiple policies and initiatives to encourage social integration and counter loneliness. These included the community mental health fund and the national positive ageing strategy, which delivers a framework for endorsing the involvement of elderly individuals in economic, social, cultural, and community activities.
The Minister further conveyed that substantial steps have been undertaken to make Ireland an attractive place for ageing, noting that in 2019, the WHO officially recognised Ireland as the premier age-friendly country globally.
Fine Gael Senator, Martin Conway, voiced concerns that the structures in place during the pandemic allowed people to maintain contact. However, he pointed out the drawback of returning to normalcy – the Covid response teams have been dissolved.
Independent Senator Eileen Flynn voiced out that although there were numerous plans slated to address loneliness in the country, little has been done. She stressed the need for concentrating on attainable victories that could be achieved in the short term.
Representing the Traveller community, Ms Flynn poignantly highlighted that poverty is synonymous with loneliness. Living in segregated halting sites, away from social inclusion, epitomises loneliness.