The Loneliest Nation in Europe? : Ireland as a Case Study, and Implications for Policy

Recently, work conducted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre demonstrated that Ireland had the highest prevalence of loneliness of all European countries. Given the range of adverse physical and psychological consequences associated with loneliness, it is vital to ask why Ireland is experiencing such high prevalence. Here, we discuss potential contributing factors, including: Ireland’s socioeconomic profile; migration patterns; demographic characteristics; rurality; recreation/culture/sports/healthcare expenditure; and social cohesion. We suggest that Ireland may have high levels of loneliness because of its young age profile, rurality, and factors linked to migration. Ireland may also lack the social infrastructure necessary to combat loneliness, yielding a potentially “lonelygenic” environment. Finally, implications for policy are discussed.