PEOPLE LIVING in more deprived areas of Ireland can expected to have their life expectancy shortened by up to 5.5%, according to new figures published by the Central Statistics Office.

While those living in what the CSO described as the ‘least deprived’ areas of Ireland could expect to live up to 82.7 years in the case of women, and 78 years for men, those living in the 20% of the country marked as ‘most deprived’ could see their life expectancies shortened by up to 4.3 years.

The average life expectancy for women now stands at 81.5 years, while men can expect to live for 76.3 years.

The figures also found that social class was a “powerful predictor” of how long a person may live for, with male professional workers being likely to live for 81.4 years – well above the average expectancy for a man.

Male managers could expect to live for 79.8 years, while skilled manual labourers had the shortest expectancy at 78.7 years. Similar correlations by observed in females, with professional women having a life expectancy of 86 years.

The CSO’s survey, which had incorporated data from its files on deaths and the 2006 Census, also found that those with higher educational achievements were likely to live longer; 35-year-old men women could expect to live for an average of over 50 years more if they had a third-level education.

Women with secondary education would expect to live to 74.5 years of age, and those educated to primary level would live to just over 70.

Again, similar figures were found in men, with the average 35-year-old third-level graduate expecting to live to almost 82, while those with just primary education could expect to live until the age of 79.5.