The Irish Well-being Framework informs a multidimensional assessment of the country’s performance across 11 dimensions of well-being. First introduced in 2021, the Framework’s annual analysis has since been integrated across policy areas, notably in the budget process.
The Irish Well-being Framework
Abstract
Context
Ireland’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the government to pay increased attention to well-being indicators. The Irish Well-being Framework is a Programme for Government commitment and the result of a cross-government initiative. It was introduced in the First Report on a Well-being Framework for Ireland in July 2021, and refined in June 2022. Several rounds of consultation and research were conducted to develop the relevant indicators.
Description and key outcomes
The Framework comprises 11 dimensions and 35 indicators. Indicators track three elements (performance, sustainability and equality) across dimensions. The dimensions encompass issues such as subjective well-being, mental and physical health, and environment, climate and biodiversity.
The Framework’s annual analysis is now integrated in the budget process, including through the National Economic Dialogue, the Summer Economic Statement and the documentation of Budget Day. The 2023 Budget included a Quality of Life Assessment and the Framework is set to have a larger role in budget impact assessments.
Several related initiatives followed the introduction of the Framework, such as the Well-being Portal, the Central Statistics Office’s Well-being Information Hub, a public consultation and extended research efforts.
Policy relevance
By bridging quality evidence and budget processes, Ireland hopes to identify policy priorities that best meet its people’s needs. In Ireland’s view, it is critical to complement economic and fiscal reporting with more holistic indicators of quality of life, equality and sustainability.
Further information
Central Statistics Office, Wellbeing Information Hub website, https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/hubs/p-wbhub/well-beinginformationhub/ (accessed 27 October 2023)
Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (2023), Lives of Older People in Ireland: Utilising the Well-being Framework for Ireland to describe people’s lives, WPPU Working Paper No. 3, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/274670/4be93ab6-e367-4413-ac95-e2cafec1692b.pdf#page=null
Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (2023), Budget 2024 – Enhancing the Well-being of People Living in Ireland, WPPU Working Paper No. 4, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/274671/9c8a7ae3-43ea-467f-8fcf-bbcfe5dd0f4f.pdf
Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (2022), Well-being and Public Policy: Utilizing a well-being perspective to inform the budgetary process, WPPU Working Paper No. 2, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/243584/94d42219-d376-4e79-8e29-77837e3adeb6.pdf
Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (2022), Well-being and Public Policy: Utilising a well-being perspective to inform public policy, WPPU Working Paper No. 1, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/242244/a37eb08d-217f-449d-90a9-ca1256a803a3.pdf
Department of the Taoiseach (2023), Understanding Life in Ireland: A Well-being Framework website, https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/1fb9b-a-well-being-framework-for-ireland-join-the-conversation/ (accessed 27 October 2023)
Department of the Taoiseach (2023), Understanding Life in Ireland: The Well-being Framework 2023, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/260026/1dc8a216-7cd7-412a-87d3-10dcf0310789.pdf
Department of the Taoiseach (2022), Understanding Life in Ireland: The Well-being Framework Second Report, https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/226076/efefee27-fb35-4473-ae68-2184fecfd63e.pdf
Department of the Taoiseach (2021), First Report on Well-being Framework for Ireland, https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/fb19a-first-report-on-well-being-framework-for-ireland-july-2021/
Department of the Taoiseach (2021), Taking the Well-being Project Forward, https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/38566-taking-the-well-being-project-forward/#
OECD resources
OECD, How’s Life in your country? Country notes, Ireland, https://www.oecd.org/wise/measuring-well-being-and-progress.htm#country-notes
OECD (2023), Economic Policy Making to Pursue Economic Welfare: OECD Report for the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, May 2023, Japan, OECD, Paris. https://www.oecd.org/economy/G7_Beyond_GDP_Economic_policy_making_to_pursue_economic_welfare_2023.pdf
OECD (2022), Redesigning Ireland’s Transport for Net Zero: Towards Systems that Work for People and the Planet, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/publications/redesigning-ireland-s-transport-for-net-zero-b798a4c1-en.htm
