Irish Examiner view: Workplace survey and debt settlement offer a glimpse into the two Irelands 

workers would be forgiven for believing that the system is biased against their interests based on the evidence this week provides

The workplace report was publicised the same day we learned that a publican and property investor in Cork — John Gaffney — had debts of more than €58m written off as part of a High Court-approved personal insolvency arrangement. Picture: Denis Minihane

This week we had a glimpse of the two Irelands, the way in which groups of people live in parallel existences without ever appearing to encounter each other’s reality.

A report issued in recent days outlined the struggles of many of today’s workers: The Laya Healthcare Workplace Wellbeing Index 2024 surveyed 1,000 employees and 200 human resources leaders and yielded some shocking results. Almost one in five employees in Ireland said they were addicted to or have an unhealthy relationship with Class A or illicit drugs, while two in five workers reported an addiction or an unhealthy relationship with at least one substance.