Irish people die younger than men and women in many other countries.
Irish men have an average life expectancy of 73, compared to 74 in France and 77 in Japan. Irish women can expect to live to 78, compared to an average of 82 in France and 84 in Japan. Ireland has the highest rate in the EU of premature mortality from coronary heart disease for both men and women. The report to the Government of the cardiovascular health strategy group last year drew startling comparisons between Ireland and Finland. In his annual report last year the Department of Health's chief medical officer, Dr Jim Kiely, highlighted the strategy group's finding that death rates at the same age from coronary heart disease varied significantly around the State.