Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1126. To ask the Minister for Health the life expectancy and disability free life expectancy of persons by gender in all counties except County Dublin and by traditional postcode area within County Dublin, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19854/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On 7 July 2020 the CSO released the ‘Irish Life Tables No. 17 2015-2017’ report (www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/ilt/irishlifetablesno172015-2017/) which provides the latest data on life expectancy in Ireland. The Life Tables are produced every 5 years. They take population figures from the most recent Census, and the number of deaths at each age from the most recent Vital Statistics annual reports. The CSO combines this data to calculate current life expectancy at birth and at age 65 years for men and women. The current Life Tables are for the years 2015-2017.

The Life Tables do not provide life expectancy data at a county level.  However, they do provide life expectancy by sex at NUTS3 region level.  Table One attached provides life expectancy at birth and at age 65 years for males and females by NUTS3 Region based on 2011 and 2016 population data.  In 2016, life expectancy at birth for males ranged from 79.0 years in the Mid-West to 80.3 in the Mid-East and for females from 82.5 in the Mid-West to 84.5 in the West.  Between 2011 and 2016 life expectancy increased in all regions for men and women both at birth and at age 65 years.

The indicator Healthy Life Years (HLY) measures the number of years that a person at birth (or at age 65 years) is still expected to live in a healthy condition. HLY is a health expectancy indicator which combines information on mortality and morbidity.  A healthy condition is defined by the absence of limitations in functioning/disability. The indicator is calculated separately for males and females. It is also called disability-free life expectancy (DFLE). 

This indicator is produced by Eurostat and is only available at a national level for Ireland, not at regional or county level.  The latest data available is for 2018. Table Two attached presents Healthy Life Years by sex at birth and at age 65 years for Ireland in 2018.

Healthy life years in absolute value at birth and at 65 years by sex in Ireland, 2018

Life expectancy by sex, age, NUTS3 region and year