People from poor backgrounds have shorter life expectancies

Irish people from poorer backgrounds have significantly shorter life expectancies than those in the richer social brackets, according to the latest research from the Public Health Alliance.

The organisation says men from the lower economic groups live six years fewer than their wealthier counterparts, while life expectancies for women are six years shorter.

It also says Irish men aged 65 have the lowest life expectancies in the so-called EU15, the original 15 member states before the expansion of the European Union in 2004.