Quality of Life in Ireland: Social Impact of Economic BoomTony Fahey, Helen Russell, Christopher T. Whelan Frances Ruane, Director, Economic and Social Research Institute Irish and international scholars continue to be curious about Ireland’s exceptional economic success since the early 1990s. While growth rates peaked at the turn of the millennium, they have since continued at levels that are high by any current international or historical Irish measures. Despite differences of view among Irish economists and policymakers on the relative importance of the factors that have driven growth, there is widespread agreement that the process of globalisation has contributed to Ireland’s economic development. In this context, it is helpful to recognise that globalisation has created huge changes in most developed and developing countries and has been associated, inter alia, with reductions in global income disparity but increased income disparity within individual countries. This book reflects on how, from a social perspective, Ireland has prospered over the past decade. In that period we have effectively moved from being a semi-developed to being a developed economy. While the book’s main focus is on the social changes induced by economic growth, there is also recognition that social change has facilitated economic growth. Although many would regard the past decade as a period when economic and social elements have combined in a virtuous cycle, there is a lingering question as to the extent to which we have better lives now that we are economically ‘better off’. |
Contents
How Do We Feel? Economic Boom and Happiness | 11 |
Economic Growth and Income Inequality | 27 |
Employment and the Quality of Work | 42 |
12368 | 45 |
Opportunities for All in the New Ireland? Christopher T Whelan and Richard Layte | 61 |
Is increasing mobility accompanied by increasing | 77 |
Health and Health Care | 104 |
The Housing Boom | 123 |
Gender WorkLife Balance and Quality of Life | 199 |
13 | 216 |
24 | 237 |
Crime and its Consequences | 245 |
22 | 248 |
Soaring in the Best of Times? | 265 |
References | 277 |
38 | 280 |
Other editions - View all
Quality of Life in Ireland: Social Impact of Economic Boom Tony Fahey,Helen Russell,Christopher T. Whelan No preview available - 2010 |
Quality of Life in Ireland: Social Impact of Economic Boom Tony Fahey,Helen Russell,Christopher T. Whelan No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
autonomy average Celtic Tiger cent chapter compared consistent poverty consistently poor countries crime Darmody decade decline deprivation divorce Dublin Economic and Social economic boom economic growth economically vulnerable employees ESRI Eurobarometer European evidence Fahey Figure full-time Garda Síochána gender groups higher house prices households immigrants impact income inequality income poverty increased indicators Ireland Irish society issues Junior Certificate labour force labour market Layte Leixlip less levels living Lucan managerial class marriage measure migration mobility Mullingar National Nolan O’Connell occupational OECD overall part-time participation pattern people’s period population positive poverty line problems professional and managerial proportion QNHS racism rates Ratoath recent relating relative residents respondents rise satisfaction sector significant skills Smyth social class Social Research Institute substantial suburban suburbs suggest Survey trends voluntary associations well-being Whelan women workers young