Editing Republic of Ireland (section)

===Healthcare===
{{Main|Healthcare in the Republic of Ireland}}
[[File:R.C.S.I Disease Research Centre.jpg|thumb|[[RCSI]] Disease and Research Centre at [[Beaumont Hospital, Dublin|Beaumont Hospital]] in [[Dublin]]]]
Healthcare in Ireland is provided by both public and private healthcare providers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/introduction_to_the_irish_system/health_care_in_ireland.html|title=Health care|publisher=Irish Citizens Information Board|access-date=29 December 2014|archive-date=2 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102004014/http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/introduction_to_the_irish_system/health_care_in_ireland.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health]] has responsibility for setting overall health service policy. Every resident of Ireland is entitled to receive health care through the public health care system, which is managed by the [[Health Service Executive]] and funded by general taxation. A person may be required to pay a subsidised fee for certain health care received; this depends on income, age, illness or disability. All maternity services are provided free of charge and children up to the age of 6 months. Emergency care is provided to patients who present to a hospital emergency department. However, visitors to emergency departments in non-emergency situations who are not referred by their [[general practitioner|GP]] may incur a fee of €100. In some circumstances this fee is not payable or may be waived.<ref>{{citation|title=Charges for hospital services |publisher=Citizens Information board |date=26 July 2011}}</ref>

Anyone holding a [[European Health Insurance Card]] is entitled to free maintenance and treatment in public beds in Health Service Executive and voluntary hospitals. Outpatient services are also provided for free. However, the majority of patients on median incomes or above are required to pay subsidised hospital charges. Private health insurance is available to the population for those who want to avail of it.

The average [[life expectancy]] in Ireland in 2021 was 82.4 years ([[List of countries by life expectancy#OECD (2022)|OECD list]]), with 80.5 years for men and 84.3 years for women.<ref>{{cite web |title=Life expectancy at birth |url=https://data.oecd.org/healthstat/life-expectancy-at-birth.htm |website=OECD |access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/Ireland/|title=OECD Better Life Index|website=oecdbetterlifeindex.org|access-date=30 July 2017|archive-date=21 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721180308/http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/ireland/|url-status=live}}</ref> It has the highest birth rate in the EU (16.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to an EU average of 10.7)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland-has-eu-s-highest-birth-rate-1.861676 |title=Ireland has EU's highest birth rate |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=7 July 2010 |access-date=30 June 2011 |archive-date=3 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903232010/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland-has-eu-s-highest-birth-rate-1.861676 |url-status=live }}</ref> and a very low infant mortality rate (3.5 per 1,000 [[Live birth (human)|live births]]). The Irish healthcare system ranked 13th out of 34 European countries in 2012 according to the European Health Consumer Index produced by [[Health Consumer Powerhouse]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.healthpowerhouse.com/files/Report-EHCI-2012.pdf|title=Euro Health Consumer Index 2012|publisher=[[Health Consumer Powerhouse]]|date=15 May 2012|access-date=23 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525195728/http://www.healthpowerhouse.com/files/Report-EHCI-2012.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The same report ranked the Irish healthcare system as having the 8th best health outcomes but only the 21st most accessible system in Europe.