Charitable Well-Being

Ireland has been ranked joint third (with Canada) in the Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index. The index is the result of a study that analysed the generosity of the world's countries based on people's financial donations and the amount of time they volunteer.

Interestingly, the study concluded that there was a stronger link between well-being and giving than there was between a country's wealth and giving. Quite simply, when we are happy, we are more charitable. And our happiness is not solely dependent on the country's wealth. However, that is not to suggest that we resurrect the dated image of the poor but happy Irish. It is simply a statistical finding worthy of further consideration.

For instance, a country's wealth has no bearing on the population if it's squandered. So for all the recent attention and importance that our politicians have given to Ireland's GDP, they must remember that the people need more than money in the country's coffers in order to be happy. They need it in their pockets too. There will always be those who have more than others but without a genuine redistribution of wealth, a high GDP is irrelevant to the vast majority of Irish citizens. One recent example is how the Samaritans warned that some people with suicidal feelings are choosing not to visit their doctor due to the high cost. At a time when the suicide rate is rising in Ireland, this is an extremely worrying development and is being inadequately addressed by those in power.

Behind all the statistics lie the people. Every fact and figure is simply a reference point for another person's life. The decisions that politicians make based on numbers affect the lives of people and it's about time they realised that.