Dubliners are much less satisfied with life than people living in the country, a new study has suggested.
The research by Prof Peter Clinch and Dr Susana Ferreira of UCD suggests that overcrowding, congestion and the proximity to major transport routes are the main causes of unhappiness in the Dublin region.
The study underlines the importance of the environment in which people live. Population density, proximity to the coast and quality of services are found to be important determinants of people's well-being. People living within two kilometres of the coast are considerably more satisfied with their lives than those living further from the sea.
"The environment is a much more significant factor in explaining our well-being or our happiness than was thought previously and it's just as important as having a job, just as important as your income," said Prof Clinch.
He said that if the new national development plan really wanted to improve people's well-being, "there needs to be serious investment in improvements in environmental infrastructure, transport networks and particularly in improving urban quality of life."
In terms of social factors identified by the research, men are less satisfied with life than women, and the young and the old are least satisfied, suggesting that people are happier in mid-life. Married men are less satisfied with life than single men and married women. People who are separated or divorced are less satisfied than people who are single, and people who have three or more children are less satisfied than those who have none.
A briefing paper on the study, Understanding and Enhancing Quality of Life in Ireland, was presented at a conference organised by Comhar, the Sustainable Development Council, in Dublin yesterday.
On earnings, the research found that an increase in annual household income to €47,600 would increase life satisfaction. But above an income of €57,900, the importance of earnings in terms of well-being decreases rapidly.
Employment status is highly important. The self-employed are happiest, along with the retired and students, while unemployment substantially reduces satisfaction with life. For this reason, the researchers believe that it is much more important to maintain full employment rather than increase incomes. The research also recommends that low inflation should be a priority in terms of economic policy.
The researchers interviewed 1,500 people across the country and combined this with data from the EPA and Ordnance Survey Ireland to determine how satisfied people were with life in Ireland.