A contented nation - Is Ireland happy or just docile?

WHEN US President Barack Obama assured us in his College Green speech on Monday that Ireland’s best times lie ahead he may not have had sight of the mammoth OECD report published yesterday which shows that we are already ranked among the top 10 countries in a “better life index”.

Had he seen the results he might have wondered how we might cope with circumstances better than those uncovered by OECD researchers who considered factors as wide ranging as disposable income, health and community spirit across 34 countries.

They measured well-being and progress and found that the great majority of Irish people — 73% — are satisfied with their life. This puts us well above the OECD average of 59%.