Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together.

The Central Statistics Office published the report, Measuring Ireland's Progress 2004, on 31 March 2005. The first edition of this report was published in December 2003 in response to a commitment in Sustaining Progress to establish a set of national progress indicators. The feedback to the initial report was very positive and included requests for it to be published annually. The current report is a response to that.

The report contains a total of 108 indicators covering 48 economic, social and environmental themes. The majority of the indicators — 66 — include comparisons between Ireland and the situation in the EU. As far as possible, figures have been supplied for all 25 EU member states as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Romania. The remaining 42 indicators contain time series data of national interest focusing on trends in Ireland over time. I welcome the report as a valuable benchmarking of progress in Ireland.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The statistics I will cite relate to the enlarged EU of 25 member states. Ireland's population increased by 12.3% to more than 4 million between 1995 and 2004. Its rate of population increase is the second highest in the EU and significantly higher than the EU average of just 2.2%. Ireland's fertility rate of 1.98, which compares with an EU average of 1.48, was the highest in the EU in 2003. Between 2001 and 2003, life expectancy at birth was 80.3 years for Irish women and 75.1 years for Irish men. Life expectancy for men in Ireland was slightly above the EU average of 74.8 years but that for women was 0.8 years below the corresponding EU average of 81.1 years.

The percentage of Irish people between the ages of 25 and 34 with third level education increased from 27.1% in 1999 to 39.4% in 2004. The corresponding EU rate in 2004 was24.8%. Ireland had the second highest gross domestic product per capita in the EU in 2003. It was almost one third higher than the EU average. Ireland's gross national income, which adjusts for some globalisation effects, was 11% above the EU average in 2003. Ireland remains one of the most successful EU member states at attracting foreign investment. In 2003, direct inward investment flows represented 17% of GDP, or ten times the corresponding eurozone rate of 1.7% of GDP.

The public balance in Ireland was significantly in surplus during the late 1990s. However, the public balance decreased from a surplus of 4.4% of GDP to a small surplus of 0.1% of GDP between 2000 and 2003. Four eurozone member states exceeded the 3% of GDP deficit limit under the EMU Stability and Growth Pact in 2003. Ireland is significantly behind the EU leaders, Sweden and Finland, in innovation and technology indicators such as investment in research and technology and new patent applications.

The employment rate in Ireland increased from 54% in 1995 to 65.5% in 2004, which was higher than the EU average of 63% in the latter year. Although Ireland's unemployment rate increased from a low point of 3.6% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2004, Ireland had the second lowest unemployment rate in the EU in 2004. The rate was less than half the EU average. The unemployment rate for early school leavers aged between 18 and 24 was 21.8% in 2004, compared with an unemployment rate of 7.9% for all persons aged between 18 and 24.

Ireland's international trade competitiveness has deteriorated since 2000, mainly as a result of higher inflation and an appreciating euro. Cumulative inflation in Ireland between 2000 and 2004 was 16%, compared with an EU average of 9%. The proportion of Irish people at risk of poverty after pensions, in particular, and social transfers was 21% in 2003. That was one of the highest rates in the EU. Ireland's net official development assistance amounted to 0.39% of gross national income in 2003. That was below the UN 2007 target of 0.7% of gross national income and the Government's 2002 interim target of 0.45% of gross national income.

Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions were 131% of 1990 levels in 2001. That was 16% higher than the Kyoto 2008-12 target for Ireland of 113% of 1990 levels. There was an improvement between 2002 and 2003, when emissions decreased to 124.7% of 1990 levels, or 10.4% above the Kyoto target in 2003. The percentage of waste placed in landfills in Ireland decreased from 87% in 2001 to 72% in 2003. Paper and glass were most likely to be recycled, with 39% of paper waste and 42% of glass waste recycled in 2003.

See this speech in context