The Quality Of Life Gap Between The North And South Is Growing
The Quality Of Life Gap Between The North And South Is Growing
Text: Izzy Copestake
The report paints a stark picture of growing inequality between Northern Ireland and the Republic, with widening gaps in income, health, and education.
New research from think tank, the Economic and Social Research Institute has revealed that markers of quality of life including earnings, health, and economic prosperity is growing between Northern Ireland and the Republic every single year.
The disparities in public health are obvious from the data. In terms of life expectancy, babies born in 2021 can expect to live 82.4 in Ireland, compared to 80.4 in Northern Ireland. Infant mortality is also rising there, now at 4.8 per 1,000 live births versus 2.8 in the Republic. The level of infant mortality was equal in 2009.
While hospital wait times are similar for the first six months, delays worsen sharply in Northern Ireland after that. Over 86 out of every 1,000 people there have waited more than 18 months for procedures, compared to just 12 per 1,000 in the Republic.
In terms of income, figures from 2022 show that disposable income in the Republic was 36% higher than in Northern Ireland. The gap has widened further due to the fact that since 2000, productivity has risen by 0.2% annually in the Republic but declined by 1.1% each year in Northern Ireland, creating a concerning 40% income divide. This has been described as “certainly worrying” for the North.
The report paints a stark picture of growing inequality between Northern Ireland and the Republic, with widening gaps in income, health, and education. Without policy intervention, these disparities are likely to deepen further in the years ahead.
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