Women born in Ireland can expect to live to just beyond their 80th birthdays, five years longer than men. But the gap between the sexes is narrowing, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Life expectancy at birth for male babies born here in 2002 was 75.1 years, compared to 80.3 for females.
In 1926, when the CSO analyses began, men had life expectancy of 57.4 years, while women could expect to live just 0.5 years longer to 57.9 years.
The gap widened significantly in the 60 years to 1986, when it stood at 5.7 years.
Since then, it has begun to narrow again, although statisticians are not sure why.
The figures show a dramatic improvement in life expectancy in the past four decades.
Males born in 1960 could expect to live to an average of just 68.1 years, still somewhat short of the traditional three-score-and-ten.
Females born in the same year could then expect to live to 71.9 years.
The CSO says the improvement in life expectancy is a direct result of decreasing mortality over the past 75 years, particularly infant mortality.
Life expectancy for males born in Ireland has increased by 2.6 years or 20 per cent in the last 75 years, while for women, it has risen by twice that - five years or 40 per cent.
The most dramatic increase in life expectancy for both sexes has been in the last six years for those aged 65. Male life expectancy increased by 1.5 years (11 per cent), the greatest increase in the past 70 years. Female life expectancy rose by 1.3 years, or 7 per cent, in the same period.
The bad news for babies born here in 2002, however, is that their life expectancy at birth and again at age 65 is still below the average in 15 EU states.