This is a report from Ireland’s Loneliness Taskforce who work to address the issue of loneliness in Ireland from a health and policy perspective. The Loneliness Taskforce was established by Dr. Keith Swanick in collaboration with Seán Moynihan of ALONE and includes members from the education, NGO, sporting, nursing, psychology, business and academic sectors. The taskforce is raising awareness and encouraging a nationwide conversation on the issue of loneliness. Their goal is to inspire volunteerism, connect communities, and provide people with the knowledge to recognize and address loneliness. They have drawn on their broad range of experience, consultation with other experts and interaction with the general public through the submissions process to shape this report.
This report outlines current evidence on loneliness in Ireland and explores the challenges and possible solutions. The Taskforce outline how they will use their findings to advocate for government action and envision a future where no one in Ireland feels unsupported in their loneliness, fostering a sense of community across the country. The Taskforce has offered five key recommendations to address loneliness in Ireland:
1. Annual funding of €3 million towards combatting loneliness
2. The allocation of responsibility to combat loneliness to a specific Minister and Government department
3. A public campaign
4. Support for initiatives and organisations which alleviate loneliness as their primary function and an action plan for volunteering
5. Ireland specific research on loneliness.
