Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

Ireland's well-being framework is a programme for Government initiative to measure progress and policy impact in Ireland in a more holistic way. The framework consists of 11 dimensions which reflect different aspects of well-being. It is supported by a dashboard hosted by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, and made up of 35 indicators which bring together economic, social and environmental statistics in an integrated way. Each year, Understanding Life in Ireland, which assesses Ireland's well-being performance across those 35 indicators, is published. Similar to last year, the 2024 assessment, published on 31 July, shows that Ireland’s overall performance is positive, in particular in areas including work and job quality and our social connections and community.

Only one of the 11 dimensions, namely, the environment, climate and biodiversity dimension, shows a negative performance. The analysis also highlights that there is much more work to do, in particular for some groups in our society for whom progress is unequal, including people with long-term illnesses or disability, single-parent households, households with lower incomes and households in rented accommodation.

We are integrating the framework into the budgetary process to assist in expenditure decision-making. As was the case for the previous two budgets, the well-being framework featured this year at the national economic dialogue and as part of the summer economic statement. Analysis of the dashboard was also included in the budget day documentation, specifically in the Department of Finance's Budget 2025 Beyond GDP - Quality of Life Assessment publication. The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform has recently published a working paper that uses the framework to show how selected expenditure measures presented in budget 2025 are enhancing well-being. Departments across government are working to use the well-being framework for policy development and for decision-making. The Government is committed to improving the quality of life for our citizens, of course, and the well-being framework will support this commitment as it helps us to better understand the economic, social and environmental impact of decisions.

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