Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 September 2022
128. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Finance if a statement on the State’s progress on the well-being indicators in accordance with the dimensions outlined in the Well-being Framework for Ireland will accompany Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46188/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recognition of the need for a broader perspective on our progress as an economy and as a society, the Programme for Government 2020 committed to the development of new measures of well-being. Since then, considerable progress has made been towards achieving that commitment, with the establishment of the Irish Well-being Framework and a vast amount of associated and supporting work completed. For example, my Department recently published a paper on Sustainability in the Irish Well-being Framework which fed into the development of the Second Report on the Well-being Framework for Ireland.
Focus is now shifting to the next phase of work on well-being, to embed the Framework into the broader system of policy-making. By necessity, this will be a gradual and iterative process, which will be progressed through a number of different channels.
The dashboard of well-being indicators, a key aspect of Ireland’s Well-being Framework, is one source of connection between well-being data and public policy. The first detailed analysis of the dashboard of indicators was published alongside the Second Report on a Well-being Framework for Ireland in June of this year. The analysis painted a generally positive picture of quality of life in Ireland, although some specific areas for improvement were identified.
As committed to in the Second Report, Budget Day documentation will include high-level analysis of the most up-to-date version of the Well-being dashboard. This analysis will be one aspect of a chapter on well-being, which will form part of a broader report on Quality of Life indicators.
