We're doing a great job of retaining kids in school right through to Leaving Cert. Thirty years ago, a quarter of children didn't stay to complete their final year. Now it's less than 1 in 10. A huge improvement for those kids' future prospects 👏🇮🇪🧑‍🏫

esri.ie/publications/e…

I had the misfortune to attend a single sex secondary school in my youth 😝. These days, the vast majority of Irish children are educated in mixed gender coeducational schools.

esri.ie/publications/e…

The majority of marriages in Ireland were Catholic ceremonies up until 2017. Last year, only 34% were Catholic, with a further 32% being civil ceremonies, and the balance were other religions or humanist.
👰🇨🇮🤵‍♂️
cso.ie/en/releasesand…

The average age of Irish brides and grooms continues to rise to new heights. Brides now average 36 years, with grooms 2 years older at 38 years. The Irish are among the latest in life to marry of any country worldwide. 👰🇨🇮🤵‍♂️

cso.ie/en/releasesand… weforum.org/agenda/2019/09…

Irish inflation has dropped to a three-year low of 1.6%. 👏 The annualised rate was down from 1.7% in March and below a rate of 2.4% for the euro zone as a whole. Falling energy prices pushed inflation lower, although food prices are still rising.
irishtimes.com/business/2024/…

Wind energy is growing strongly across the world, with new installations increasing by c.11% a year. Offshore wind farm developments now exceed onshore ones. I look forward to the day that the Irish Sea is full of turbines, providing energy security. 🪁🇮🇪

gwec.net/global-wind-re…

Irish people are more likely to trust our legal system than those in any other OECD ➡️ Better Policies for Better Lives country. 58% say they do, with only 30% disagreeing. That's the greatest level of trust among the 19 nations included in the analysis.

oecd.org/publication/go…

Most Irish people think the country is going in the right direction. 52% agree with this and only 37% disagree. Within the EU, only the citizens of Luxembourg are more positive about their country. 🇮🇪😇

europa.eu/eurobarometer/…

Ireland produces more computer science and technology Master's degree graduates than any other other country in Europe (per capita). 🖥️🇮🇪👏 It's a very positive investment in the future of a young generation and of Ireland as a nation.

aiindex.stanford.edu/report/

The stereotypical Irish person drinks a lot of alcohol. But that's no longer true in reality. We consume less than most continental Europeans nowadays. Those in central European states generally drink the most and Nordic countries the least. 🇮🇪🥂

hrb.ie/publications/p…

Alcohol consumption in Ireland has been decreasing for more than 20 years. We each drink one-third less alcohol nowadays, on average. Beer and cider consumption, in particular, is way down. 🇮🇪🍺

hrb.ie/publications/p…

The suicide rate among young people declined in Ireland and in many European countries over the last few decades. Very positive progress, albeit with further investment in our mental health services required. (Data Max Roser Our World in Data)

Ireland's overseas development expenditure is significant and very close to the UN target (of 0.7% of GNI). 🇮🇪⛑️👏 A chunk of this was absorbed assisting Ukrainian refugees in Ireland, however we should aim for our overseas spend alone to reach this level.
oecd.org/dac/financing-…

Inflation in Ireland has dropped again. The national rate of price increases has fallen below 3% (CPI), while the EU-harmonised measure is now below 2% (HICP). Here's to a cut in borrowing interest rates in the near future 💶📉🍻

cso.ie/en/releasesand…

Public transport use in Dublin beat post-pandemic levels last year to reach a new high. 251 million journeys were undertaken in the capital in 2023, up by 48 million or 23% from 2022. Dublin Bus has never been so busy. 🚌🚉

dublineconomy.ie

More people in Ireland identify climate change as the single most serious problem facing the world over any other thing. A quarter of Irish people say it is - with only Nordic countries showing a higher level of concern among EU nations. 🇮🇪🌧️☀️

europa.eu/eurobarometer/…