Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Mick Lynch’s father is a Corkman. No doubt that sense of fair play and value system emanates from that Cork influence. He supports Cork City football club to the present day. Just to let Deputy Barry know as well that my late father was a founder of the National Busmen's Union, so I know a thing or two about transport strikes, particularly growing up as a child. I am watching with interest what is transpiring overseas.

On the more fundamental issue of well-being, we should welcome the introduction of a well-being framework in respect of how we measure things in this country. Deputy Moynihan asked if the framework would be incorporated into the summer economic statement. It will be and it will be in the Budget Statement. It will also be integrated into all major decisions of Government.

It was Bobby Kennedy who once famously said that the problem with GDP as a measurement is that it measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile. In many ways this is the essence of the well-being framework. There are approximately 35 indicators and Ireland performs well in 20, including the lifelong learning rate, average weekly earnings and satisfaction with democracy in Ireland. Six indicators show negative performance, including net government wealth, greenhouse gas emissions and experience of discrimination. The performances of the other nine indicators are more nuanced. There are particularly positive indications in the knowledge skills and innovation, work and job quality, and safety and security dimensions. Only one dimension reveals a negative overall picture, which is environment, climate and biodiversity.

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