The estimated life expectancy of Irish men and women has increased – men born today can now expect to live until the age of 76.7, while women can expect to reach the age of 81.5 years, a new report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has shown.

According to Measuring Ireland’s Progress 2007, men’s life expectancy has increased by 1.6 years since the period 2001-2003, while women’s has increased by 1.2 years.

The report also notes that the age gap in life expectancy between men and women has narrowed to 4.8 years, the lowest it has been since the early 1970s.

However while welcoming the figures, Eamon Timmins of Age Action Ireland warned that the Government must start planning now for an ageing population.

“Planning must go beyond issues like pensions to include areas such as accommodation, employment, healthcare and transport,” Mr Timmins said.

He added that the figures ‘are evidence of the value of modern medicine, science and nutrition, which are resulting in Irish people living longer’.

The report also showed that Ireland’s population increased by 17.2% during the period 1998-2007, to 4.34 million. This was the highest rate of population increase in the EU during that period.

Meanwhile the rate of natural increase, i.e. when the number of births is larger than the number of deaths, was 8.7 per 1,000 in 2006, compared to an EU average of just 1.1.